title: Hyperhomocysteinemia and retinal vascular changes in patients with epilepsy.
abstract: The possible occurrence of asymptomatic retinal vascular damage was investigated in 87 hyperhomocysteinemic (plasma total homocysteine >13micromol/L) adult epileptic patients (46 M, 41 F; age 34.2+/-7.5 years; mean plasma homocysteine levels 29.8+/-15.4micromol/L; duration of epilepsy 11.5+/-2.4 years) with no other risk factors for atherosclerosis. Plasma total homocysteine (t-Hcy) levels were assayed by high performance liquid chromatography. Retina vascular status was assessed by fundus oculi ophthalmoscopy performed in blind conditions by two skilled ophthalmologists and compared with that obtained from 102 randomly chosen epileptic patients and 94 healthy subjects, matched for age and sex, showing normal t-Hcy levels. No retina abnormality was detected in any of the subjects belonging to the three groups. Based on these results, we conclude that epileptic patients with mild to intermediate hyperhomocysteinemia are not at risk to develop retinal vascular disease.
authors.affiliation: Neurology Clinic, University of Perugia, Italy. vincenzobelcastro@libero.it
authors.forename: Vincenzo
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Belcastro
authors.forename: Pasquale
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Striano
authors.forename: Daniela
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Caccamo
authors.forename: Cinzia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Costa
authors.forename: Laura Rosa
authors.initials: LR
authors.lastname: Pisani
authors.forename: Costantino John
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Trombetta
authors.forename: Aldo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Maddaloni
authors.forename: Clotilde
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ciampa
authors.forename: Raffaele
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Reccia
authors.forename: Riccardo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ientile
authors.forename: Salvatore
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Striano
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Calabresi
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Pisani
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D020138:Hyperhomocysteinemia / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012160:Retina / Q000473:pathology; D031300:Retinal Vasculitis / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology; D012171:Retinal Vessels / Q000473:pathology; D016037:Single-Blind Method; D055815:Young Adult