Abstract
Background and Aims:
Preliminary studies have established the elevated plasma total homocysteine (tHcy) levels as a risk factor for chronic obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). However, studies describing plasma tHcy levels and their relationship to folic acid Supplementation and FEV1 status in COPD Patients are still lacking. Hence, we investigated the role of hyperhomocysteinemia in COPD, and then prospectively examined the relationship between plasma tHcy concentration and effect of folic acid supplementation on FEV1 Status in COPD Patients.
Methods: The Study included 50 out patients with stable COPD and 30 healthy controls. Plasma levels of homocysteine were measured by ELISA method. All the subjects were given folic acid therapy (5mg daily) for 6 weeks duration and were followed up. Repeat plasma homocysteine and FEV1 were measured after 6 weeks.
Results: COPD patients had higher baseline plasma tHcy concentration than controls (Mean: 27.4±23.85µmol/L, versus 15.8±6.67µmol/L, p=0.011) and COPD was associated with higher tHcy concentrations also after adjusting for smoking, and age. The mean BMI of the patients was 21.3±3.26. The mean homocysteine values decreased from 28.8±25.45 to 15.2±15.69µmol/L, (p value = 0.001) after six weeks of folic acid supplementation. However, no significant change was observed in FEV1 upon folic acid supplementation. (FEV1 =1.03±0.48 and 1.1±0.51 respectively; P value: 0.103).
Conclusions: COPD patients seem to have a poor folic acid status and as a consequence high tHCY. Also, folic acid supplementation has shown decreased plasma tHcy concentrations, but not necessarily significant change in FEV1.
- © 2013 ERS