title: The relationship between plasma homocysteine level and HLA-B51 in patients with Behcet's disease: a case-control study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Various coagulation disorders have been reported to explain hypercoagulability state in Behcet's disease (BD). A possible negative association between human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-B51 and increased homocysteine level has been suggested in a previous report from Iranian patients with BD. The aim of this study was to find any possible relationship between plasma homocysteine levels and HLA-B51.
  
  
  METHODS
  In a case-control study, BD patients (fulfilling the new International Criteria for BD) and controls (who had similar clinical symptoms but BD was clinically excluded in them) were included. Mean plasma homocysteine levels measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in HLA-B51 positive and negative individuals both in patients and controls were compared by t-test, Mann-Whitney test and analysis of variance (F-test).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Ninety-six BD patients and 152 controls were recruited. There was no significant difference between HLA-B51 positive and negative individuals either in the mean plasma homocysteine levels (13.59 ± 9.03 vs. 12.95 ± 4.98 μmol/L, P = 0.514), or in the prevalence of hyperhomocysteinemia (17% vs. 21.4%, P = 0.504). This was true both for BD and control groups. In HLA-B51 positive and negative BD patients, mean plasma homocysteine levels were 14.29 ± 12.02 and 12.62 ± 4.79 μmol/L, respectively (P = 0.33), and the prevalence of hyperhomocysteinemia was 20.8% versus 19.5% (P = 0.55). In the control group, the mean plasma homocysteine levels in HLA-B51 positive and negative individuals were 12.85 ± 4.28 and 13.14 ± 5.10 μmol/L, respectively (P = 0.794), and the prevalence of hyperhomocysteinemia was 13% versus 22.1% (P = 0.23). The difference was non-significant regarding sex (P > 0.71) and disease activity (P > 0.31).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In contrast to our previous report, we found no relationship between plasma homocysteine levels and HLA-B51 in this study, either in BD or in the control group.
authors.affiliation: Rheumatology Department, Baqyiatallah University of Medical Sciences, Baghiatallah Hospital, Tehran, Iran; Behcet's Disease Unit, Rheumatology Research Center, Shariati Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Soraya
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Shadmanfar
authors.forename: Farhad
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Shahram
authors.forename: Abdolhadi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nadji
authors.forename: Maassoumeh
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Akhlaghi
authors.forename: Seyedeh T
authors.initials: ST
authors.lastname: Faezi
authors.forename: Bahar
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Sadeghi-Abdollahi
authors.forename: Alireza
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Faridar
authors.forename: Nima
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Madanchi
authors.forename: Fereydoun
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Davatchi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001528:Behcet Syndrome / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D059949:HLA-B51 Antigen / Q000097:blood*; D006710:Homocysteine / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D020138:Hyperhomocysteinemia / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D007492:Iran / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D059949:HLA-B51 Antigen; D006710:Homocysteine
keywords: Behcet's disease; HLA-B51; homocysteine; thrombosis