Tam. Abdu et al., Plasma homocysteine is not a major risk factor for vascular disease in growth hormone deficient adults, CLIN ENDOCR, 55(5), 2001, pp. 635-638
Objective Several cardiovascular risk factors have been investigated in pat
ients with adult growth hormone deficiency (GHD) to explain the observed in
crease in vascular mortality. Plasma homocysteine concentration has been id
entified recently as an independent risk factor for atherosclerosis. We wis
hed to determine whether plasma homocysteine contributes to cardiovascular
risk in adult GHD.
Method Plasma homocysteine was measured by fluorescence polarization immuno
assay in 45 GH-deficient adults on stable conventional hormone replacement
(25M, 20F), age range 23-76 years, and compared with 55 matched controls (3
0M, 25F), age range 21-77 years. All subjects were free from clinical hyper
tension, diabetes, ischaemic heart disease and peripheral vascular disease.
Blood pressure, body mass index and waist hip ratio were recorded. Serum c
reatinine and fasting lipids were measured. Serum vitamin B12 and folate le
vels, important cofactors in the homocysteine metabolic pathways, were also
measured.
Results Homocysteine levels were not different in patients and controls (9.
75 [7.8-11.6] mu mol/l vs. 9.65 [8.3-11.5] mu mol/l, respectively, P=0.88).
Serum vitamin B12 was also not different (320.5 [262.0-427.5] pmol/l vs. 3
13.5 [277.0-460-5] pmol/l, respectively, P=0.77). Serum folate levels were
significantly lower in the patient group (7.05 [5.12-8.27] ng/ml vs. 7.80 [
6.52-10.60] ng/ml, respectively, P=0.03). When separated by gender, in male
s folate was not significantly different between patients and controls 7.05
[5.17-9.19] vs. 7.65 [6.15-10.22], P=0.264, whereas in females, folate was
significantly lower in patients at 7.05 [4.57-7.75] compared to controls a
t 8.4 [6.60-12.20], P=0.01.
Conclusion Plasma homocysteine levels are not significantly elevated in GH-
deficient adults and are unlikely to be a major risk factor for vascular di
sease in these individuals.