Hyperhomocysteinemia in Greek patients with inflammatory bowel disease

• Published in: Digestive diseases and sciences Vol. 45; no. 12; pp. 2347 - 2351
• Main Authors: KOUTROUBAKIS, I. E, DILAVERAKI, E, VLACHONIKOLIS, I. G, VARDAS, E, VRENTZOS, G, GANOTAKIS, E, MOUZAS, I. A, GRAVANIS, A, EMMANOUEL, D, KOUROUMALIS, E. A
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Heidelberg Springer 01.12.2000; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Biological and medical sciences; Colitis, Ulcerative - blood; Colitis, Ulcerative - complications; Crohn Disease - blood; Crohn Disease - complications; Female; Folic Acid - blood; Greece - epidemiology; Homocysteine - blood; Humans; Hyperhomocysteinemia - complications; Hyperhomocysteinemia - epidemiology; Inflammatory bowel disease; Male; Medical sciences; Metabolic diseases; Middle Aged; Miscellaneous; Other metabolic disorders; Risk Factors; Thrombosis - etiology; Greece; Europe; Human; Thiol; Concentration factor; Prevalence; Clinical form; Cardiovascular disease; Thrombosis; Inflammatory disease; Incidence; Sulfur containing aminoacid; Vascular disease; Crohn disease; Association; Risk factor; Digestive diseases; Intestinal disease; Ulcerative colitis
• ISSN: 0163-2116; 1573-2568
• DOI: 10.1023/A:1005583606647

In recent years hyperhomocysteinemia has been established as a new risk factor for arterial and venous thrombosis. Since patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) frequently suffer from thromboembolic events, we studied the prevalence and clinical significance of hyperhomocysteinemia in Greek patients with ulcerative colitis (UC) and Crohn's disease (CD). In 108 consecutive fasting IBD patients (53 UC and 55 CD) and 74 healthy controls (HC), a standard record of various clinical thrombotic risk factors was completed by interview, and fasting serum concentrations of total homocysteine (tHcy), folate, cobalamin, creatinine, cholesterol, HDL, LDL, and triglycerides were measured. The concentration (mean +/- SD) of serum tHcy was significantly higher in UC (15.9 +/- 10.3 micromol/liter) and CD patients (13.6 +/- 6.5) than in controls (9.6 +/- 3.4, P < 0.05). Both UC and CD patients had lower levels of folate than HC (P < 0.05). Covariance analysis of age, gender, and all clinical variables indicated that the differences in homocysteine levels between IBD patients and HC remain significant even after adjustment for these covariates. In conclusion, mild hyperhomocysteinemia is common in Greek IBD patients and may account for the increased thrombotic risk of these patients.