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Hyperhomocysteinemia in Rheumatoid Arthritis: Influence of Methotrexate Treatment and Folic Acid Supplementation
OLE KUDSK JENSEN, CLAUS RASMUSSEN, FRANK MOLLERUP, PEDER BJERG CHRISTENSEN, HENRIK HANSEN, SUZANNE EKELUND, and ANE MARIE THULSTRUP
ABSTRACT.
Methods. A cross sectional study was performed in 81 patients with RA, comprising a standardized clinical interview, an examination, and a blood specimen test. Results. P-homocysteine tended to be lower in 41 patients receiving MTX, compared with 40 patients not receiving MTX. Of the MTX treated patients, 76% received folic acid supplementation. Multivariate analysis revealed a statistically significant association between P-homocysteine and P-creatinine (p < 0.001), and disease activity/progression measured by the Health Assessment Questionnaire score (p < 0.001). There was a tendency to negative association between P-homocysteine and folic acid supplementation. Conclusion. P-homocysteine in patients with RA receiving MTX and folic acid supplementation did not differ significantly from P-homocysteine in RA patients receiving other types of treatment. (J Rheumatol 2002;29:1615-8) Key Indexing Terms:
RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS
From the Departments of Rheumatology, Endocrinology, and Clinical Biochemistry, University Hospital of Aalborg, Aalborg; Department of Rheumatology, General Hospital of Hjørring, Hjørring; and Department of Clinical Epidemiology, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark. Supported by The Danish League Against Rheumatism (Gigtforeningen). O.K. Jensen, MD; C. Rasmussen, MD, Department of Rheumatology, University Hospital of Aalborg; F. Mollerup, MD, Department of Rheumatology, General Hospital of Hjørring; P.B. Christensen, MD, Department of Endocrinology; H. Hansen, MD; S. Ekelund, MSci, Department of Clinical Biochemistry, University Hospital of Aalborg; A.M. Thulstrup, MD, PhD, Department of Clinical Epidemiology, Aarhus University Hospital, and Aalborg Hospital. Address reprint requests to Dr. O.K. Jensen, Department of Internal Medicine, The General Hospital of Randers, DK-8900 Randers, Denmark. Submitted September 18, 2001; revision accepted January 21, 2002. |