Plasma homocysteine is not associated with HIV serostatus or antiretroviral therapy in women.
BACKGROUND
The effects of HIV serostatus and combination antiretroviral therapy (cART) on plasma homocysteine (HCY) are uncertain.


METHODS
Plasma HCY was assayed in a cross-sectional study of 249 HIV-infected and 127 HIV-uninfected women at the Bronx Women's Interagency HIV Study site.


RESULTS
Mean plasma HCY was 7.42 +/- 2.68 in HIV-infected women and 7.18 +/- 2.66 mumol/L in HIV-uninfected women (P = 0.40). Hyperhomocysteinemia (defined as HCY >10 mumol/L) was seen in 16.9% and 13.4% of HIV-infected and HIV-uninfected women, respectively (P = 0.45). Among HIV-infected women, cART use was not associated with HCY level. Compared with the lowest quartile, women with HCY in the highest quartile had lower mean serum vitamin B12 and RBC folate levels. In multivariate analysis that did not include micronutrient levels, age, serum creatinine, and lower CD4% were significantly associated with plasma HCY level in HIV-infected women.


CONCLUSIONS
Plasma HCY was not associated with HIV serostatus or use of cART in this cross-sectional study. Reduced availability of folate cofactors for HCY remethylation in HIV-infected women with lower folate intake and decreased health status may influence HCY levels.
Raiszadeh
Farbod
F
Department of Medicine, St. Luke's-Roosevelt Hospital Center, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, NY, USA.
Hoover
Donald R
DR
Lee
Irene
I
Shi
Qiuhu
Q
Anastos
Kathryn
K
Gao
Wei
W
Kaplan
Robert C
RC
Glesby
Marshall J
MJ