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B-vitamins and homocysteine in Spanish institutionalized elderly.
Int J Vitam Nutr Res. 2007 Jan; 77(1):22-33.IJ

Abstract

BACKGROUND

Hyperhomocysteinemia is an accepted risk factor for cardiovascular disease, and possibly also for cognitive impairment and dementia. It has also been proposed as a marker for the status of the B vitamins, which participate in the metabolism of homocysteine. Therefore, especially in the elderly, it is important to know the prevalence of high homocysteine (tHcy) levels and the influence that B vitamins have on them.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

218 elderly of both sexes, aged 60-105, living in an elderly home in Granada (Spain), were screened for serum folate, red blood cell (RBC) folate, serum cobalamin (B12) (Abbott, IMx), holotranscobalamin II (Holo-TC II) (HoloTC RIA, Axis-Shield), methylmalonic acid (MMA) (MS-GC), total pyridoxine (B6) (HPLC), and total homocysteine (tHcy) (Abbott, IMx).

RESULTS

Hyperhomocysteinemia (tHcy >12 pmol/L) was detected in 80.7%. Serum folate deficiency was severe (< or =4 ng/mL) in 19.3% and moderate (4-7 ng/mL) in 43.1%. In 14.2% of the elderly RBC folate was < or =175 ng/mL, and in 61.0% it was between 175-400 ng/mL. Vitamin B12, measured in serum (< or =200 pg/mL), was deficient in 15.8%, but if measured as Holo-TC II (< or =45 pmol/L), deficiency ranged up to 39.1%. MMA was high (> or =300 nmol/L) in 45.6%. Vitamin B6 (< 20 nmol/L) was low only in one person. In order to identify the factors that could predict tHcy levels, a multiple regression analysis was performed. Best results corresponded to the combination of log serum folate and log Holo-TC II, which gave values of R > 0.5. If analyzed independently, the highest correlation was with log serum folate (r = -0.290), followed by RBC folate (r = -0.263), Holo-TC II (r = -0.228), log B12 (r = -0.175), and log B6 (r = -0.078).

CONCLUSION

There is a high prevalence of vitamin B deficiency and hyperhomocysteinemia in the studied population. Our data confirm the influence of these vitamins, especially folate, on tHcy levels, but hyperhomocysteinemia cannot be used as the only diagnostic criterion to detect subclinical vitamin deficiency in elderly people, especially to detect vitamin B12 deficiency.

Authors+Show Affiliations

Gonzalez-Gross M
Grupo Effects 262, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Granada, Spain. marcela.gonzalez.gross@upm.es
Sola R
No affiliation info available
Albers U
No affiliation info available
Barrios L
No affiliation info available
Alder M
No affiliation info available
Castillo MJ
No affiliation info available
Pietrzik K
No affiliation info available

MeSH

AgedAged, 80 and overAgingErythrocytesFemaleFolic AcidFolic Acid DeficiencyHomocysteineHumansHyperhomocysteinemiaInstitutionalizationMaleMiddle AgedRegression AnalysisSex CharacteristicsSpainVitamin B 12Vitamin B 12 DeficiencyVitamin B ComplexVitamin B Deficiency

Pub Type(s)

Journal Article
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

Language

eng

PubMed ID

17685092

Citation

Gonzalez-Gross, Marcela, et al. "B-vitamins and Homocysteine in Spanish Institutionalized Elderly." International Journal for Vitamin and Nutrition Research. Internationale Zeitschrift Fur Vitamin- Und Ernahrungsforschung. Journal International De Vitaminologie Et De Nutrition, vol. 77, no. 1, 2007, pp. 22-33.
Gonzalez-Gross M, Sola R, Albers U, et al. B-vitamins and homocysteine in Spanish institutionalized elderly. Int J Vitam Nutr Res. 2007;77(1):22-33.
Gonzalez-Gross, M., Sola, R., Albers, U., Barrios, L., Alder, M., Castillo, M. J., & Pietrzik, K. (2007). B-vitamins and homocysteine in Spanish institutionalized elderly. International Journal for Vitamin and Nutrition Research. Internationale Zeitschrift Fur Vitamin- Und Ernahrungsforschung. Journal International De Vitaminologie Et De Nutrition, 77(1), 22-33.
Gonzalez-Gross M, et al. B-vitamins and Homocysteine in Spanish Institutionalized Elderly. Int J Vitam Nutr Res. 2007;77(1):22-33. PubMed PMID: 17685092.
* Article titles in AMA citation format should be in sentence-case
TY - JOUR T1 - B-vitamins and homocysteine in Spanish institutionalized elderly. AU - Gonzalez-Gross,Marcela, AU - Sola,Ricardo, AU - Albers,Ulrike, AU - Barrios,Laura, AU - Alder,Monika, AU - Castillo,Manuel J, AU - Pietrzik,Klaus, PY - 2007/8/10/pubmed PY - 2007/8/24/medline PY - 2007/8/10/entrez SP - 22 EP - 33 JF - International journal for vitamin and nutrition research. Internationale Zeitschrift fur Vitamin- und Ernahrungsforschung. Journal international de vitaminologie et de nutrition JO - Int J Vitam Nutr Res VL - 77 IS - 1 N2 - BACKGROUND: Hyperhomocysteinemia is an accepted risk factor for cardiovascular disease, and possibly also for cognitive impairment and dementia. It has also been proposed as a marker for the status of the B vitamins, which participate in the metabolism of homocysteine. Therefore, especially in the elderly, it is important to know the prevalence of high homocysteine (tHcy) levels and the influence that B vitamins have on them. MATERIAL AND METHODS: 218 elderly of both sexes, aged 60-105, living in an elderly home in Granada (Spain), were screened for serum folate, red blood cell (RBC) folate, serum cobalamin (B12) (Abbott, IMx), holotranscobalamin II (Holo-TC II) (HoloTC RIA, Axis-Shield), methylmalonic acid (MMA) (MS-GC), total pyridoxine (B6) (HPLC), and total homocysteine (tHcy) (Abbott, IMx). RESULTS: Hyperhomocysteinemia (tHcy >12 pmol/L) was detected in 80.7%. Serum folate deficiency was severe (< or =4 ng/mL) in 19.3% and moderate (4-7 ng/mL) in 43.1%. In 14.2% of the elderly RBC folate was < or =175 ng/mL, and in 61.0% it was between 175-400 ng/mL. Vitamin B12, measured in serum (< or =200 pg/mL), was deficient in 15.8%, but if measured as Holo-TC II (< or =45 pmol/L), deficiency ranged up to 39.1%. MMA was high (> or =300 nmol/L) in 45.6%. Vitamin B6 (< 20 nmol/L) was low only in one person. In order to identify the factors that could predict tHcy levels, a multiple regression analysis was performed. Best results corresponded to the combination of log serum folate and log Holo-TC II, which gave values of R > 0.5. If analyzed independently, the highest correlation was with log serum folate (r = -0.290), followed by RBC folate (r = -0.263), Holo-TC II (r = -0.228), log B12 (r = -0.175), and log B6 (r = -0.078). CONCLUSION: There is a high prevalence of vitamin B deficiency and hyperhomocysteinemia in the studied population. Our data confirm the influence of these vitamins, especially folate, on tHcy levels, but hyperhomocysteinemia cannot be used as the only diagnostic criterion to detect subclinical vitamin deficiency in elderly people, especially to detect vitamin B12 deficiency. SN - 0300-9831 UR - https://www.unboundmedicine.com/medline/citation/17685092/B_vitamins_and_homocysteine_in_Spanish_institutionalized_elderly_ DB - PRIME DP - Unbound Medicine ER -