Effects of folic acid and vitamin B complex on serum C-reactive protein and albumin levels in stable hemodialysis patients.
OBJECTIVE
Folic acid and vitamin B complex administration in uremic patients has been reported to lower plasma total homocysteine (tHcy) levels, but whether or not this has a beneficial effect on the inflammatory state is not clear.


METHODS
We conducted a randomized open labeled study to determine the effects of folic acid (5 mg daily) and vitamin B complex administration on plasma tHcy levels as well as inflammatory (serum high-sensitivity C reactive protein, hs-CRP) and nutritional (serum albumin) markers in patients on maintenance hemodialysis. Treatment was given for 3 consecutive months to 61 patients on maintenance hemodialysis. Another 60 patients, all age-, sex-, hemodialysis duration-matched served as control group.


METHODS
Plasma tHcy, serum hs-CRP, albumin, creatinine (Cr), post-dialysis body weight (BW), and normalized protein catabolism rate (nPCR).


RESULTS
After 3 months, levels of plasma tHcy and serum hs-CRP, Cr, and nPCR were significantly decreased while levels of serum albumin, vitamin B(12), folate, and BW were significantly increased. The dialytic dose (KT/V) and dietary intake remained unchanged. However, correlations between the magnitude of reduction of tHcy & hs-CRP, tHcy & Cr, and Cr & nPCR were statistically significant.


CONCLUSIONS
Folic acid and vitamin B complex co-administration effectively lowers tHcy and hs-CRP levels and increases albumin levels in stable hemodialysis subjects, underscoring their potential benefit to attenuate the state of inflammation and possibly improve the nutritional status in patients on hemodialysis.
Chang
Tzu-Yuan
TY
Division of Nephrology, Department of Medicine, Kaohsiung Veterans General Hospital, School of Medicine, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan.
Chou
Kang-Ju
KJ
Tseng
Chin-Feng
CF
Chung
Hsiao-Min
HM
Fang
Hua-Chang
HC
Hung
Yao-Min
YM
Wu
Ming-Jei
MJ
Tzeng
Huey-Ming
HM
Lind
Chang-Chung
CC
Lu
Kuo-Cheng
KC
D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000032:analysis*; D005260:Female; D005492:Folic Acid / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D006710:Homocysteine / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D006435:Renal Dialysis; D012709:Serum Albumin / Q000032:analysis*; D014803:Vitamin B Complex / Q000008:administration & dosage*
D012709:Serum Albumin; D006710:Homocysteine; D014803:Vitamin B Complex; D002097:C-Reactive Protein; D005492:Folic Acid