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Vitamin B12 Improves Homocysteine Levels and Lipid Profiles in Patients With End-Stage Renal Disease: Presented at ISA

By Eurona Earl Tilley

KYOTO, JAPAN -- October 6, 2003 -- Intravenous administration of vitamin B12 reduced elevated total homocysteine (tHcy) levels, and improved the lipid profile of patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) who were on dialysis, according to findings presented here September 30^th at the 13^th International Symposium on Atherosclerosis.

Dr. John Papadakis, department of internal medicine, University Hospital of Heraklion, Greece, who presented these findings, explained that patients with end-stage renal disease often have high serum levels of tHcy and dyslipidaemia while on dialysis.

He and his associates evaluated the efficacy of the administration of intravenous vitamin B12 on serum tHcy, folic acid (FOL), and lipid levels in 16 women and 21 men with end-stage renal disease.

This study was divided into 2 separate phases, each lasting 3 months. During Phase 1, patients were prescribed oral doses of folic acid 5 mg/day and vitamin B12 0.6mg/day. Through out Phase 2, participants were given intravenous doses of vitamin B12 1mg every other day in addition to folic acid 5 mg/day.

Patients were evaluated for serum levels of tHcy, folic acid, vitamin B12, and lipid concentrations at the end of each phase. Serum levels at Phase 1 were compared to those at Phase 2.

By the completion of the study, patients exhibited significantly lower serum tHcy (29.4 verses 21.1 mg/dL), total cholesterol (222 verses 196 mg/dL), and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels (139 versus 109 mg/dL). Serum high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol levels increased significantly among the participants. Mean HDL at the end of Phase 1 was 37 mg/dL, and 40 mg/dL at the end of Phase 2. There were no appreciable changes in serum concentrations of folic acid, vitamin B12, or triglycerides.

Dr. Papadakis showed that there was a significant correlation in the data between tHcy, triglycerides, and folic acid. His results indicate that total homocysteine levels inversely correlated with serum folic acid levels, and total homocysteine levels were proportional to serum triglycerides, he concluded.


[Study title: Effect of Intravenous Administration of Vitamin B12 on Lipids in Patients With End-Stage Renal Disease. Abstract 2P-0568]

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