title: Plasma homocysteine is elevated in COPD patients and is related to COPD severity.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Although recent studies have found that total plasma homocysteine (tHCY) and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are both risk factors for cardiac disease, there have been few studies of plasma homocysteine levels in COPD patients. We tested the hypothesis that total plasma homocysteine (tHCY) would be elevated in patients diagnosed with COPD compared with controls.
  
  
  METHODS
  We studied 29 COPD outpatients and 25 asymptomatic subjects (controls) over age 55 years with measurement of forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1), forced vital capacity (FVC), St. Georges Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ) score, tHCY and serum C-reactive protein (sCRP).
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was no difference between controls vs. COPD patients in mean age or gender but mean (SD) FEV1 was 2.25 (0.77) vs. 1.43 (0.60) L; FEV1% predicted 76.1 (17.2) vs. 49.1 (16.3) p < 0.001 in both cases. Median (IQR) tHCY was 8.22 (6.63, 9.55) in controls vs. 10.96 (7.56, 13.60) micromol/l for COPD, p = 0.006 and sCRP 0.89 (0.47, 2.55) vs. 2.05 (0.86, 6.19) mg/l, p = 0.023. tHCY(log) was also higher in (r, p) smokers (0.448, 0.001), patients with low FEV1% (-0.397, 0.003), males (0.475, < 0.001), but high SGRQ Total score (0.289, 0.034), and high sCRP (0.316, 0.038). tHCY(log) was independently related to (regression coefficient, p) sCRP(log) (0.087, 0.024), male gender (0.345, < 0.001) and presence of COPD (0.194, 0.031). Median (IQR) tHCY GOLD Stage I and II 8.05 (7.28, 11.04), GOLD Stage III and IV: 11.83 (9.30, 18.30); p = 0.023.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Plasma homocysteine is significantly elevated in COPD patients relative to age and sex-matched controls and is related to serum CRP and COPD severity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Medical Sciences, University of the West Indies, St Augustine Campus, Trinidad and Tobago. tseemungal@aol.com
authors.forename: Terence A R
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Seemungal
authors.forename: Johanna Cho Fook
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Lun
authors.forename: Gershwin
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Davis
authors.forename: Carlos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Neblett
authors.forename: Nkhabe
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Chinyepi
authors.forename: Christina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Dookhan
authors.forename: Samantha
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Drakes
authors.forename: Elizabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Mandeville
authors.forename: Fatima
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Nana
authors.forename: Seatshogeng
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Setlhake
authors.forename: Celia Poon
authors.initials: CP
authors.lastname: King
authors.forename: Lexley
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Pinto Pereira
authors.forename: Lexley
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: PintoPereira
authors.forename: Jerome
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Delisle
authors.forename: Thomas M A
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Wilkinson
authors.forename: Jagwiga A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Wedzicha
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005260:Female; D005541:Forced Expiratory Volume; D006710:Homocysteine / Q000032:analysis* / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D029424:Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive / Q000503:physiopathology*; D011788:Quality of Life; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013147:Spirometry; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014300:Trinidad and Tobago
chemical_list: D006710:Homocysteine