The Prognostic Value of Plasma Folate Versus Plasma Vitamin B12 in Determining Plasma Total Homocysteine in Healthy Middle-Aged and Older Taiwanese

在中老年健康者血中葉酸濃度與維生素B12濃度血中同半胱胺酸濃度之預測研究

林正修(Jen-Shiou Lin) ； 林奇勇(Chi-Yung Lin) ； 游雅言(Ya-Yan Yu) ； 沈銘鏡(Ming-Ching Shen) ； 洪美華(Mei-Hua Hong) ； 王瑛琦(Ying-Chi Wang) ； 林賓賓(Bin-Bin Lin)

《The Changhua Journal of Medicine》 7卷4期 (2002/10) Pp. 220-225

摘要

Background and purpose: A statistically significant increase of plasma total homocysteine (tHcy) has been reported among healthy subjects≧age 50 versus subjects ＜ age 50. Whether the influence of plasma folate and vitamin B12 on plasma tHcy varies between age subgroups remains unclear. The aim of this study was to investigate if the age-related difference in the effect of vitamin status on plasma tHcy levels exists in Taiwanese subjects.
Methods: Healthy subjects with normal hepatic and renal functions and no history of vascular thrombosis were recruited for the purpose of measuring plasma levels of tHcy, folate and vitamin B12. The relationship between plasma tHcy level and its potential determinants was examined using multiple linear regression.
Results: One hundred and nineteen healthy subjects (67 males and 52 females) whose mean age was 49.6 years (range, 15-85 years) were investigated. In the young subgroup≧age 50 (n=62), the positive association between age and plasma tHcy was not significant (P=0.691). In the old subgroup age 50 (n=57), plasma tHcy increased with age (P=0.001) and with decreasing plasma folate levels (P=0.010); the effects of gender and vitamin B12 on plasma tHcy were not significant (P=0.310 and P=0.288, respectively). After adjustment for gender, a significant age-related increase in plasma folate was noted in the overall sample analysis (P＜0.001), but this association was not significant in the old subgroup (P=0.388).
Conclusion: A significant elevation in plasma tHcy exists only in the middle-aged and old population. Plasma folate is more significant than vitamin B12 as a nutritional determinant of plasma tHcy in this population.

關鍵字

同半胱胺酸 ； 葉酸 ； 維生素B12 ； 營養狀況 ； 台灣

並列摘要

Background and purpose: A statistically significant increase of plasma total homocysteine (tHcy) has been reported among healthy subjects≧age 50 versus subjects ＜ age 50. Whether the influence of plasma folate and vitamin B12 on plasma tHcy varies between age subgroups remains unclear. The aim of this study was to investigate if the age-related difference in the effect of vitamin status on plasma tHcy levels exists in Taiwanese subjects.
Methods: Healthy subjects with normal hepatic and renal functions and no history of vascular thrombosis were recruited for the purpose of measuring plasma levels of tHcy, folate and vitamin B12. The relationship between plasma tHcy level and its potential determinants was examined using multiple linear regression.
Results: One hundred and nineteen healthy subjects (67 males and 52 females) whose mean age was 49.6 years (range, 15-85 years) were investigated. In the young subgroup≧age 50 (n=62), the positive association between age and plasma tHcy was not significant (P=0.691). In the old subgroup age 50 (n=57), plasma tHcy increased with age (P=0.001) and with decreasing plasma folate levels (P=0.010); the effects of gender and vitamin B12 on plasma tHcy were not significant (P=0.310 and P=0.288, respectively). After adjustment for gender, a significant age-related increase in plasma folate was noted in the overall sample analysis (P＜0.001), but this association was not significant in the old subgroup (P=0.388).
Conclusion: A significant elevation in plasma tHcy exists only in the middle-aged and old population. Plasma folate is more significant than vitamin B12 as a nutritional determinant of plasma tHcy in this population.

並列關鍵字

homocysteine ； folate ； vitamin B12 ； nutrition ； Taiwan