title: Association between hyperhomocysteinemia and primary pulmonary hypertension.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This case-control study was conducted to test the hypothesis that fasting homocysteine levels are higher in PPH patients than in healthy controls.
  
  
  METHODS
  Levels of plasma total homocysteine, serum folate, vitamin B-12, and serum creatinine in 18 consecutive patients with PPH were compared with data from 36 age- and sex-matched controls.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Eight of the 18 patients (44.4%) and three of the 36 controls (8.3%) had elevated plasma total homocysteine (tHcy) levels (> or = 15 mol/l, odds ratio 8.8; 95% CI: 2.0-39.6; P = 0.005). There was an inverse correlation between tHcy levels and creatinine clearance in patients with PPH (P = 0.036).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  PPH patients are significantly more likely to have hyperhomocysteinemia, and higher mean plasma total homocysteine levels than in controls. Plasma total homocysteine may be an important factor in the pathogenesis of PPH.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, 9500 Euclid Avenue-G62, Cleveland, OH 44195, USA. arrolia@ccf.org
authors.forename: Alejandro C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Arroliga
authors.forename: Sunder
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sandur
authors.forename: Donald W
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Jacobsen
authors.forename: Sanjiv
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tewari
authors.forename: Masroor
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mustafa
authors.forename: Edward J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Mascha
authors.forename: Killian
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Robinson
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003404:Creatinine / Q000097:blood; D005215:Fasting / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D005492:Folic Acid / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D020138:Hyperhomocysteinemia / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications*; D006976:Hypertension, Pulmonary / Q000097:blood*; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D014805:Vitamin B 12 / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D005492:Folic Acid; D003404:Creatinine; D014805:Vitamin B 12