title: Hyperhomocysteinemia in patients with Behçet's disease: is it due to inflammation or therapy?
abstract: Considerable discrepancies exist in the literature with respect to plasma total homocysteine (tHcy) levels in Behçet's disease (BD). The aim of this study was to evaluate tHcy concentrations in these patients. Thirty-two patients with BD and 20 age- and body mass index-matched healthy volunteers were enrolled. Plasma tHcy concentrations were significantly higher, while vitamin B12 and folate levels were significantly lower in patients with thrombosis and eye involvement than those without. C-reactive protein levels also correlated significantly in a negative manner with vitamin B12 and folate but positively with tHcy. In conclusion, increased use or accelerated catabolism of folate and vitamin B12 due to chronic inflammation and moderately increased tHcy concentrations related with deficiency of these cofactors, and immunosuppressive drug administration might be potential threats of vascular disease in BD.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Gülhane Military Medical Academy, 06018 Etlik, Ankara, Turkey. yesilovaz@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Zeki
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Yesilova
authors.forename: Salih
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pay
authors.forename: Cagatay
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Oktenli
authors.forename: Ugur
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Musabak
authors.forename: Kenan
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Saglam
authors.forename: S Yavuz
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Sanisoglu
authors.forename: Kemal
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Dagalp
authors.forename: M Kemal
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Erbil
authors.forename: Ismail H
authors.initials: IH
authors.lastname: Kocar
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001528:Behcet Syndrome / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000378:metabolism*; D003078:Colchicine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005128:Eye Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D005492:Folic Acid / Q000097:blood; D005938:Glucocorticoids / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006710:Homocysteine / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D020138:Hyperhomocysteinemia / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D013927:Thrombosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology; D014805:Vitamin B 12 / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; D005938:Glucocorticoids; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D006710:Homocysteine; D002097:C-Reactive Protein; D005492:Folic Acid; D014805:Vitamin B 12; D003078:Colchicine