[Relations between serum homocysteine and folic acid levels with congenital heart disease].
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the relations between serum homocysteine (Hcy) and folic acid with congenital heart disease (CHD) in CHD nuclear families.


METHODS
In Liaoning Province 151 CHD patients and their biological parents were selected as the case group, with another 98 normal subjects and their parents as control. For some filial individuals and their mothers the serum total Hcy (tHcy) levels were detected by fluorescence polarization immunoassay. And for all members the serum levels of folic acid and vitamin B12 (VB12) were determined by radio-immunoassay.


RESULTS
There were not significantly differences in the serum tHcy and folic acid levels and theirs abnormality prevalence between CHD patients and the control, neither were their parents in the study. Compared with the control group the serum VB12 levels of CHD patients were apparently higher (315.36 pmol/L and 185.34 pmol/L, P < 0.05), and the VB12 deficiency prevalence of patients and their fathers were lower. Analysis of different CHD types showed that in ventricular septal defect patients the serum tHcy levels were lower than the control with VB12 levels higher, and in parents of patent ductus arteriosus patients the serum folic acid levels were increased (P < 0.05). The study also indicated that the folic acid and VB12 of parents were significantly positively associated with that of filial generation. In the case group the tHcy levels of mothers were positively correlated with filial generation, and in CHD patients the tHcy was negatively associated with folic acid. In filial individuals of the control group the tHcy was negatively related with VB12 (P < 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
Folic acid and VB12 were important influencing factors of serum Hcy and they were negatively correlated. In this study, the folic acid and Hcy were not significantly related with CHD, and it needs further investigations to confirm it. There were not significant differences in the serum tHcy and folic acid levels and theirs abnormality prevalence between CHD patients and the control, neither were their parents in the study. Compared with the control group the serum VB12 levels of CHD patients were apparently higher (315.36 pmol/L and 185.34 pmol/L, P < 0.05), and the VB12 deficiency prevalence of patients and their fathers were lower. Analysis of different CHD types showed that in ventricular septal defect patients the serum tHcy levels were lower than the control with VB12 levels higher, and in parents of patent ductus arteriosus patients the serum folic acid levels were increased (P < 0.05). The study also indicated that the folic acid and VB12 of parents were significantly positively associated with that of filial generation. In the case group the tHcy levels of mothers were positively correlated with filial generation, and in CHD patients the tHcy was negatively associated with folic acid. In filial individuals of the control group the tHcy was negatively related with VB12 (P < 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
Folic acid and VB12 were important influencing factors of serum Hcy and they were negatively correlated. In this study, the folic acid and Hcy were not significantly related with CHD, and it needsfurther investigations to confirm it.
Department of Nutrition and Food Hygiene, Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing 100083, China.
Wen-li
WL
Zhu
Jing-jing
JJ
Dao
Jun
J
Cheng
Shu-qin
SQ
Li
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005492:Folic Acid / Q000097:blood*; D006330:Heart Defects, Congenital / Q000097:blood*; D006710:Homocysteine / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D010290:Parents; D014805:Vitamin B 12 / Q000097:blood*; D055815:Young Adult
D006710:Homocysteine; D005492:Folic Acid; D014805:Vitamin B 12