Serum homocysteine: interplay with other circulating and genetic factors in association to Alzheimer's type dementia.
OBJECTIVE
To study the interplay between serum concentrations of homocysteine, steroid hormones and vitamins B and mutations in 5,10-methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) gene, in association to Alzheimer's type dementia (ATD).


METHODS
Case-control study including 19 individuals diagnosed with ATD and 36 healthy controls. Serum concentrations of the analytes were determined and MTHFR 1298A-->C mutation was screened by PCR-RFLP.


RESULTS
Multivariable logistic regression analysis identified homocysteine (OR=1.92, P<0.01), cholesterol (OR=1.14, P<0.001), estradiol (OR=0.728, P<0.001), uric acid (OR=2.42, P<0.02), vitamin B(12) (OR=0.984, P<0.004) and MTHFR 1298A-->C mutation (OR=6.01, P<0.04) as independent predictors of ATD. Positive interaction between homocysteine and uric acid, creatinine, urea or cortisol (P<0.02) and negative interaction between homocysteine and vitamin B(12) or MTHFR 1298A-->C mutation (P<0.03) were observed.


CONCLUSIONS
High serum concentrations of homocysteine, cholesterol and uric acid, and low concentrations of estradiol and vitamin B(12), as well as the MTHFR 1298A-->C mutation are simultaneously associated to ATD.
Cascalheira
José F
JF
Centro de Investigação em Ciências da Saúde, Universidade da Beira Interior, Portugal. jfcascalheira@yahoo.com
João
Sara S
SS
Pinhanços
Sandra S
SS
Castro
Rita
R
Palmeira
Manuela
M
Almeida
Sofia
S
Faria
Maria C
MC
Domingues
Fernanda C
FC
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000097:blood* / Q000235:genetics*; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004958:Estradiol / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006710:Homocysteine / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009154:Mutation / Q000235:genetics; D012150:Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length; D013739:Testosterone / Q000097:blood; D013763:Tetrahydrofolates / Q000235:genetics*; D014508:Urea / Q000097:blood; D014527:Uric Acid / Q000097:blood
D013763:Tetrahydrofolates; D006710:Homocysteine; C013123:5,10-methylenetetrahydrofolic acid; D014527:Uric Acid; D013739:Testosterone; D004958:Estradiol; D014508:Urea; D002097:C-Reactive Protein