title: An abnormal urinary excretion of glycine betaine may persist for years.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Does abnormal betaine excretion persist?
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients (10) with abnormal excretion in 1998 were recalled in 2005. Subsequent urine samples were collected on 4 days from persistently abnormal subjects.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Half the 1998 abnormal patients were abnormal in 2005. Only 1/20 controls was abnormal (p=0.015). All patients with abnormal excretion in 1998 and 2005 had abnormal excretion on successive days while no controls did.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  High betaine excretion may be chronic and a health risk.
authors.affiliation: Clinical Biochemistry Unit, Canterbury Health Laboratories, Christchurch School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Christchurch, New Zealand. michael.lever@chmeds.ac.nz
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lever
authors.forename: Wendy
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Atkinson
authors.forename: Peter M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: George
authors.forename: Stephen T
authors.initials: ST
authors.lastname: Chambers
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001622:Betaine / Q000652:urine*; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D001622:Betaine