title: The influence of levodopa and the COMT inhibitor on serum vitamin B12 and folate levels in Parkinson's disease patients.
abstract: Serum folate and vitamin B12 levels were measured in 67 consecutive Parkinson's disease patients treated either with levodopa + dopa decarboxylase inhibitor (DDC-i) plus catechol-O-methyltransferase inhibitors (COMT-i) or only with levodopa + DDC-i. The data were compared to 67 age-matched controls. Our findings show that levodopa-treated Parkinson's disease patients have low folate (p < 0.0007) and vitamin B12 levels (p < 0.0003). They also demonstrate that the addition of a COMT-i to levodopa + DDC-i treatment causes lower serum vitamin B12 (p < 0.03) and folate levels (p < 0.005) than levodopa + DDC-i treatment alone. We suggest supplementary treatment with vitamin B12 and folic acid in these situations.
authors.affiliation: Neurological Clinic, Eginition Hospital, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: N I
authors.initials: NI
authors.lastname: Triantafyllou
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kararizou
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Angelopoulos
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tsounis
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Boufidou
authors.forename: M E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Evangelopoulos
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Nikolaou
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Vassilopoulos
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000978:Antiparkinson Agents / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002396:Catechols / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D005492:Folic Acid / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D007118:Immunoassay / Q000379:methods; D007980:Levodopa / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009570:Nitriles / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D010300:Parkinson Disease / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy; D014805:Vitamin B 12 / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D000978:Antiparkinson Agents; D002396:Catechols; D009570:Nitriles; D007980:Levodopa; C071192:entacapone; D005492:Folic Acid; D014805:Vitamin B 12