Homocysteine and B-group vitamins in renal transplant patients

Increased plasma homocysteine is an independent risk factor for cardiovascu lar disease. We have investigated homocysteine and B-group vitamin levels i n renal transplant patients. Fasting blood was collected from 55 renal tran splant recipients with good renal function and 32 age/sex matched control s ubjects. Total homocysteine was increased in transplant recipients in compa rison to controls (10.9 +/- 1.5 vs. 6.7 +/- 1.3 mu mol/P, P < 0.001). There was no difference in homocysteine between patients receiving cyclosporin ( n = 39, homocysteine 11.0 +/- 1.5 mu mol/l) and patients receiving predniso lone + azathioprine (n = 16, 10.8 +/- 1.6 mu mol/l, mean +/- S.D.), althoug h there was a significant correlation between homocysteine and serum cyclos porin concentration in the sub-group of patients receiving that immunosuppr essive regimen (r = 0.42, P < 0.05). Levels of B-group vitamins were simila r in patients and controls. Plasma homocysteine is increased in renal trans plant recipients even in the presence of minor degrees of renal impairment and normal levels of B-group vitamins. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All r ights reserved.