CROHNS-DISEASE AND VITAMIN-B-12 METABOLISM

The concentrations of vitamin B-12, its analogs, and the haptocorrin a nd transcobalamin carriers in 21 patients suffering from Crohn's disea se and a group of controls (20 adults) were measured. There were no si gnificant differences in the mean values for vitamin B-12, total corri noids (vitamin B-12 + analogs), or vitamin B-12 or total corrinoids bo und to haptocorrin or transcobalamin of the Crohn's and control patien ts. There was a significant increase in the binding capacity of transc obalamin in the Crohn's patients compared to the controls (P < 0.001), but there was no difference in the binding capacities of haptocorrin. The serum concentrations of the markers of vitamin B-12 status, homoc ysteine and methylmalonic acid, showed an increase (P < 0.01) in homoc ysteine in the Crohn's disease patients, but no change in methylmaloni c acid. As the hyperhomocysteinemia was associated with normal folate concentrations, there may have been a defect in the activation of the enzyme due to altered intracellular vitamin B-12 status.