[PHNUTR-L] Low levels of vitamin B and venous thromboembolic disease in elderly men

[Kathrynne Holden, MS, RD]

Colleagues, the following is FYI and does not necessarily reflect my own
opinion. I have no further knowledge of the topic.
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J Intern Med. 2005 Sep;258(3):244-9. 	
     Low levels of vitamin B and venous thromboembolic disease in 
elderly men.
     Diaz DE Tuesta AM, Ribo MD, Belinchon O, Marchena PJ, Bruscas MJ, 
Val E, Cortes A, Nieto JA.
     Department of Internal Medicine, Virgen de al Luz Hospital, Cuenca, 
Spain.

     Objectives. Hyperhomocysteinaemia is a well-known risk factor for 
venous thromboembolic disease (VTD). However, it is not clear whether 
homocysteine (Hc) itself or a related metabolite or a cofactor is 
primarily responsible for VTD. We carried out a case-control study to 
investigate whether vitamin concentrations that are involved in the Hc 
metabolism are associated or not with an elevated risk of VTD. Design. 
Case-control study. Methods. We measured serum vitamin B(12), folate, 
creatinine and albumin concentrations and plasma Hc concentrations in 
101 consecutive patients with VTD, diagnosed by image tests and 101 
control subjects, matched for age and sex. Results. Serum vitamin B(12) 
concentrations were significantly lower in VTD patients than in the 
control subjects. There were no differences in plasma Hc or serum folate 
concentrations between the groups. Among the male subgroup aged more 
than 70 years, serum vitamin B(12) concentrations were significantly 
lower (240.88 +/- 103.07 vs. 421.20 +/- 314.31 pmol L(-1); P = 0.03) and 
plasma Hc concentrations were significantly higher (13.1 +/- 4.18 vs. 
10.56 +/- 3.06 mumol L(-1); P =0.04) in VTD patients than in the control 
group. On multivariate analysis, in patients aged more than 70 years, 
serum vitamin B(12) concentrations were independently associated with 
VTD. Compared with the highest quartile of vitamin B(12) (>512.6 pmol 
L(-1)) the odds ratio (OR) for VTD in the lowest quartile (<230.9 pmol 
L(-1)) was 3.8 (95% CI 1.44-10.18; P = 0.01). In the VTD group, lowest 
vitamin B(12) concentrations (percentile 10 <152.8 pmol L(-1)) were 
associated with the factor V Leiden mutation (OR = 6.07, 95% CI 
0.93-38.55; P = 0.04). Conclusions. Measuring vitamin B(12) 
concentrations in elderly males may help in identifying people at risk 
of venous thromboembolism in our population.

     PMID: 16115298 [PubMed - in process]
-- 
Kathrynne Holden, MS, RD < fivestar at nutritionucanlivewith.com >
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