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Hyperhomocysteinemia in patients with Behçet’s disease: is it due to inflammation or therapy?

Rheumatology International volume 25, pages 423–428 (2005)Cite this article

Abstract

Considerable discrepancies exist in the literature with respect to plasma total homocysteine (tHcy) levels in Behçet’s disease (BD). The aim of this study was to evaluate tHcy concentrations in these patients. Thirty-two patients with BD and 20 age- and body mass index-matched healthy volunteers were enrolled. Plasma tHcy concentrations were significantly higher, while vitamin B12 and folate levels were significantly lower in patients with thrombosis and eye involvement than those without. C-reactive protein levels also correlated significantly in a negative manner with vitamin B12 and folate but positively with tHcy. In conclusion, increased use or accelerated catabolism of folate and vitamin B12 due to chronic inflammation and moderately increased tHcy concentrations related with deficiency of these cofactors, and immunosuppressive drug administration might be potential threats of vascular disease in BD.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Gastroenterology, Gülhane Military Medical Academy, 06018 Etlik, Ankara, Turkey

    Zeki Yesilova & Kemal Dagalp

  2. Department of Rheumatology, Gülhane Military Medical Academy, Ankara, Turkey

    Salih Pay

  3. Department of Internal Medicine, Gülhane Military Medical Academy, Ankara, Turkey

    Cagatay Oktenli, Kenan Saglam & Ismail H. Kocar

  4. Department of Immunology, Gülhane Military Medical Academy, Ankara, Turkey

    Ugur Musabak

  5. Department of Biostatistics, Gülhane Military Medical Academy, Ankara, Turkey

    S. Yavuz Sanisoglu

  6. Department of Biochemistry, Gülhane Military Medical Academy, Ankara, Turkey

    M. Kemal Erbil

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  1. Zeki Yesilova
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Yesilova, Z., Pay, S., Oktenli, C. et al. Hyperhomocysteinemia in patients with Behçet’s disease: is it due to inflammation or therapy?. Rheumatol Int 25, 423–428 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00296-004-0466-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00296-004-0466-9

Keywords

  • Behçet’s disease
  • Folate
  • Homocysteine
  • Immunosuppressive treatment
  • Vitamin B12