Influence of serum folic acid levels on plasma homocysteine concentrations in patients with rheumatoid arthritis

Tiftikci A., Ozdemir A., Tarcin Ö., Tarcin O., Inanc N., Sahinoglu S., ...Daha Fazla

RHEUMATOLOGY INTERNATIONAL, cilt.26, sa.3, ss.191-194, 2006 (SCI-Expanded) identifier identifier identifier

  • Yayın Türü: Makale / Tam Makale
  • Cilt numarası: 26 Sayı: 3
  • Basım Tarihi: 2006
  • Doi Numarası: 10.1007/s00296-004-0546-x
  • Dergi Adı: RHEUMATOLOGY INTERNATIONAL
  • Derginin Tarandığı İndeksler: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Scopus
  • Sayfa Sayıları: ss.191-194
  • Anahtar Kelimeler: rheumatoid arthritis, methotrexate, homocysteine, folic acid, CARDIOVASCULAR-DISEASE, METHOTREXATE, MORTALITY, HYPERHOMOCYSTEINEMIA, WOMEN
  • Marmara Üniversitesi Adresli: Evet

Özet

The purpose of this study was to investigate whether negative effects of methotrexate (mtx) on blood homocysteine (hmc) levels can be prevented with the replacement of folic acid. 42 female patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) were studied. Patients were separated into two groups according to their treatment status with mtx (group I: 27 patients taking mtx and folic acid; group II: 15 patients not using mtx). The level of hmc was found to be 6.3 +/- 2.4 mu mol/l in group I and 7.87 +/- 3.2 mu mol/l in group II (p > 0.05). Folic acid levels of group I and II were found to be 21.3 +/- 15.9 ng/ml and 8.41 +/- 2.86 ng/ml respectively (p < 0.001). There was a statistically-significant correlation between age and hmc levels (r=0.386, p=0.012). Negative statistically-significant correlations were observed between folic acid and hmc levels. The effects of mtx on hmc can be prevented with the replacement of folic acid.