Serum Folate Levels Research Articles

The potential of folic acid and homocysteine as novel serum markers for venous thromboembolism in cancer patients.

Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is a common coagulative dysfunctional complication of cancer patients. The present study aimed to determine the association and diagnostic values of serum homocysteine (Hcy) and folic acid levels with VTE in cancer patients. We enrolled 700 cancer patients and 100 healthy subjects in our study. All cancer patients, with or without VTE, underwent measurement of serum Hcy and folic acid levels and coagulative markers including D-Dimer, factor VIII, fibrinogen and tissue plasminogen activator. The diagnostic values of Hcy and folic acid were assessed by receiver operative characteristic (ROC) analysis. Correlations between Hcy and folic acid and coagulative factors were determined. Among the 700 patients with malignant tumors recruited in our study, a total of 89 patients had VTE combined within three months, and 611 patients did not have VTE. Cancer patients with VTE had significantly higher levels of Hcy and significantly lower levels of folic acid in serum. Both Hcy and folic acid in serum demonstrated high sensitivity and specificity in diagnosing VTE in cancer patients and showed strong correlations to coagulative markers. Hcy and folic acid, which have strong correlations to coagulative markers, are potential novel serum markers for stratifying VTE risk in cancer patients.

Intake of Vitamin B12 and Folate and Biomarkers of Nutrient Status of Women within Two Years Postpartum.

Background: Little is known about variation in vitamin B12 and folate status among Chinese women 2 years postpartum. This study assessed intake of vitamin B12 and folate and biomarkers of nutrient status among Chinese women postpartum. Methods: Demographic information, multi-/single-nutrient supplementation, dietary data, serum vitamin B12 and serum folate were assessed in 982 women within 2 years postpartum, using ten investigation sites in Zhejiang Province from the National Nutritional Study 2016–2017, which is a nationally representative cross-sectional study, to form a representative provincial sample of Zhejiang Province. The dietary diversity score (DDS) was used for assessing the dietary pattern. Results: Vitamin B12 increased slightly at the early stage of postpartum and then dropped over time. Serum folate level elevated with postpartum time. The median serum vitamin B12 concentration was 494.59 (373.21–650.20) pg/mL, and folate was 7.58 (5.02–10.34) ng/mL. Correspondingly, vitamin B12 levels suggesting marginal deficiency (200–300 pg/mL) and deficiency (<200 pg/mL) resulted as 9.27% and 3.26%, respectively, and folate level suggesting deficiency (<3 ng/mL) was 9.16%. Multi-/single-nutrient supplementation during pregnancy was associated with log-transformed serum vitamin B12 and folate level after adjusting for potential confounders (vitamin B12: ß (SE) = 0.124 (0.028), p < 0.001; folate: 0.128 (0.035), <0.001). Additionally, postpartum nutrient supplementation was associated with log-transformed serum folate level, especially for lactating women (ß (SE) = 0.204 (0.062), p = 0.001). Increased DDS was significantly associated with elevated serum vitamin B12 and folate levels (vitamin B12: ß (SE) = 0.028 (0.011), p = 0.011; folate: 0.030 (0.014), 0.031). In addition, age and educational level were influencing factors for serum vitamin B12 and folate concentrations among postpartum women. Conclusion: Serum vitamin B12 level decreased and folate level increased with postpartum age among Chinese women. Nutrient supplementation during pregnancy was related to elevated serum vitamin B12 and folate concentrations. Postpartum nutrient supplementation was associated with the increased serum folate level of lactating women. Dietary diversity was related to increased serum vitamin B12 and folate levels, especially among postpartum women with younger age and lower educational level.

Abnormal transcriptome-wide DNA demethylation induced by folate deficiency causes neural tube defects.

Neural tube defect (NTDs) is one of the most common and serious fetal and neonatal birth defects. Neural tube closure (NTC) is an exquisitely coordinated process and this procedure is influenced by both genetic and environmental factor. Folic acid (FA) supplementation is an effective for prevention of a proportion of NTDs, however, the mechanism remains unclear. In this study, our data demonstrated genome-wide enrichment of 5-hydroxymethylcytosine (5hmC) modification on active transcriptional start sites (TSS) and decreased 5-methylcytosine (5mC) binding to TSS under folate deficiency in mESCs (mouse embryonic stem cells). Furthermore, folate deficiency promoted 5hmC enrichment enhancer histone 3 lysine 27 acetylation (H3K27ac) binding to Shh pathway genes in mESCs. Upregulation of Shh target genes was observed in mouse brain tissue under low levels of maternal serum folate, along with increased expression of 5-methylcytosine dioxygenase Tet1 levels. Taken together, we found that folate deficiency promoted DNA demethylation and enriched 5hmC through recruitment of H3K27ac to activate the Shh signaling pathway. These results suggest that the 5hmC modification increases concomitantly with a positive correlation to Shh gene expression in folate deficiency-induced mouse NTDs.

Correlations between serum vitamin B12 and folate levels among mother-infant dyads in Punjab state, North-West India.

Adequate vitamin B12 levels in infancy are crucial for normal psychomotor and cognitive development of infants. Our aim was to examine serum vitamin B12, folate and ferritin levels in exclusively breastfed healthy full-term infants (age group: 1-6months), and also investigate their correlation with maternal markers. A cross-sectional study was conducted on 100 exclusively breastfed healthy full-term infants (age group: 1-6months) along with their lactating mothers. Serum vitamin B12, folate and ferritin levels were determined for each mother-infant dyad using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The mean serum vitamin B12, folate and ferritin levels were 512 vs. 535 pg/mL, 15 vs. 12 ng/mL and 313 vs. 114 ng/mL in infants and mothers, respectively. Among 100 infants, 26 (26%) had lower vitamin B12 levels and 5 (5%) had inadequate folate levels. In addition, 22 (22%) of 100 lactating mothers were deficient in vitamin B12 levels and 14 (14%) had inadequate folate levels. We found a statistically significant positive correlation between infant and maternal vitamin B12 (r=0.659, P < 0.001) and folate levels (r=0.51, P < 0.001). Vitamin B12 deficiency was observed in 26% of infants and 22% of lactating mothers. Vitamin B12 and folate levels of infants were positively correlated with maternal levels in the state of Punjab, North-West India. Our findings support that maternal vitamin B12 status can be used as a valuable predictor of infant vitamin B12 status.

The association between serum folate and gestational diabetes mellitus: a large retrospective cohort study in Chinese population.

To investigate the association between folate levels and the risk of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) risk during the whole pregnancy. In this retrospective cohort study of pregnant women, serum folate levels were measured before 24 gestational weeks (GW). GDM was diagnosed between 24th and 28th GW based on the criteria of the International Association of Diabetes and Pregnancy Study Groups. General linear models were performed to examine the association of serum folate with plasma glucose (i.e. linear regressions) and risk of GDM (i.e. log-binomial regressions) after controlling for confounders. Restricted cubic spline regression was conducted to test the dosage-response relationship between serum folate and the risk of GDM. A sigle, urban hospital in Shanghai, China. A total of 42 478 women who received antenatal care from April 2013 to March 2017 were included. Consistent positive associations were observed between serum folate and plasma glucose levels (fasting, 1-h, 2-h). The adjusted relative risks (RR) and 95 % CI of GDM across serum folate quartiles were 1·00 (reference), 1·15 (95 % CI (1·04, 1·26)), 1·40 (95 % CI (1·27, 1·54)) and 1·54 (95 % CI (1·40, 1·69)), respectively (P-for-trend < 0·001). The positive association between serum folate and GDM remained when stratified by vitamin B12 (adequate v. deficient groups) and the GW of serum folate measurement (≤13 GW v. >13 GWs). The findings of this study may provide important evidence for the public health and clinical guidelines of pregnancy folate supplementation in terms of GDM prevention.

The Relationship Between Serum Folate Level and Residual Renal Function in CAPD Patients.

ObjectiveTo investigate the relationship between serum folate (FA) levels and residual renal function (RRF) in continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) patients.MethodsClinical data were collected from 180 hospitalized patients who received CAPD regularly. Patients were divided into the FA deficiency group and the FA non-deficiency group according to serum FA level. Data on age, sex, PD vintage, hemoglobin, mean corpuscular volume, serum FA, total Kt/V, residual kidney Kt/V, peritoneum Kt/V, creatinine clearance (Ccr), ultrafiltration volume, cystatin C (cytC), serum creatinine (Scr), urea nitrogen, retinol-binding protein and the primary disease were gathered from 2 groups. Statistical methods were used to analyze the relationship between serum FA level and RRF.ResultsPeritoneal Kt/V, cytC, Scr were higher, and residual kidney Kt/V was lower in FA deficiency group than in non-deficiency group. Univariate correlation showed the peritoneal Kt/V, cytC, Scr negatively correlated with serum FA while residual kidney Kt/V positively correlated with serum FA, and there was a simple linear regression relationship between serum FA and residual kidney Kt/V. Differences were statistically significant (P<0.05).ConclusionThere is a relationship between serum FA and RRF in CAPD patients. Prospective studies or trials should be performed to clarify the importance of FA supplementation on RRF during peritoneal dialysis.

Improvement of Anxiety, Depression and fatigue after treatment of Anemia in patients with inflammatory bowel disease patients

INTRODUCTION: Anemia is a common complication in inflammatory disease bowel (IBD). Many patients have this comorbidity ignored during clinical follow-up. Nonetheless, studies of anemic patients have a significant relationship between anemia and higher anxiety, depression and fatigue. This study evaluated the level of anxiety, depression and fatigue before and after treatment for anemia in mild anemic, IBD patients from the IBD Center of the UFJF University Hospital. OBJECTIVE: The objective of the present study was to investigate the improvement of anxiety, depression and fatigue after treatment of anemia in IBD patients. METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, 100 patients with CD (Crohn's disease) and 100 with RCUI (ulcerative colitis) were screened for anemia. For evaluation of anemia, complete blood count, ferritin, saturation index transferrin, serum levels of folic acid, serum iron and vitamin B12 was performed. In anemic patients, was evaluated and compared the levels of anxiety, depression and fatigue before and after anemia treatment. For the evaluation of anxiety was applied the hospital anxiety and depression scale (HADS), to assess fatigue was applied Chalder`s questionnaire. RESULTS: The evaluation average for anxiety before anemia treatment was 7.3 ± 4.3 and after treatment it was 5.3 ± 4.8 (p=0.0.08), the average of depression before treatment was 6.2 ± 5.2 and after treatment it was 4.9 ± 4.8 (p=0.08) and the average of fatigue before anemia treatment was 30.9 ± 8.7 and after treatment it was 21.6 ± 8.4 (p&lt;0.001). Treatment with oral liposomal iron was effective in improving mild IDA and quality of life, as well as in decreasing fatigue in patients with inactive or mildly active IBD. CONCLUSION: The treatment of anemia in patients with IBD Brazilian outpatients showed statistically significant improvement in cases of anxiety and fatigue, although did not demonstrate a significant improvement in depression.

Low erythrocyte folate levels and increased risk of invasive cervical cancer in Chinese women

To investigate the relationship between erythrocyte folate levels and cervical lesions. Using a case-control method, patients with cervical lesions from September 2021 to February 2022 in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Jiangnan University Hospital were selected as study subjects. After cervical biopsy, 40 cases of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) CIN3 and 65 cases of cervical cancer as case group. The normal population of 120 cases attending the same period served as the control group. A competitive model was used to establish a chemiluminescence immunoassay (CLIA) for human erythrocyte folate. Erythrocyte folate levels of 225 subjects were determined. Serum folate levels were 7.82 ± 3.13, 8.04 ± 3.58, and 7.58 ± 4.30 ng/ml in the control, CIN3, and cervical cancer groups, with no statistically significant differences (p=0.959). Erythrocyte folate levels were 307.27 ± 122.95, 306.52 ± 189.77, and 285.42 ± 125.74 ng/ml, respectively, with statistically significant differences (p=0.03). In a population of middle-aged Chinese women, the lower the erythrocyte folate value, the greater the risk of cervical cancer. In addition, serum folate levels were not associated with cervical lesions.

Evaluation of serum folate, vitamin B12 and homocysteine among blood donors in Lagos State University teaching hospital, Lagos, Nigeria

&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Background: &lt;/strong&gt;Folate, vitamin B12 deficiency and hyperhomocysteinaemia have been reported as important risk factors for the development of cardiovascular events and ischaemic stroke. These vitamin deficiencies are also implicated in the pathogenesis of several diseases like anaemia, dementia, Alzheimer’s disease and cancers. This study determined the serum levels of vitamins B12, folate, and homocysteine among blood donors in the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, Ikeja, Lagos, Nigeria.&lt;strong&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Methods: &lt;/strong&gt;This was a descriptive, cross-sectional study done among blood donors at the donor clinic of LASUTH Ikeja, Lagos, Nigeria. One hundred blood donors who met the donor inclusion criteria of LASUTH were recruited consecutively into the study.&lt;strong&gt; &lt;/strong&gt;Five ml of venous blood was collected from each consenting participant into ethylene Diamine Tetra-acetic Acid (EDTA) and plain bottles for the determination of full blood count and folate, vitamin B12/homocysteine respectively. Data were analyzed with statistical package for social science version 23.0, the p value was set at ≤0.05.&lt;strong&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Results: &lt;/strong&gt;The mean age of the study participants was 33.36±8.31 years. The mean serum homocysteine, folate and VitB12 levels among the study participants were 5.59±9.14 nmol/l, 21.57±4.15ng/ml and 1694.38±592.83 pg/ml respectively. About 8% of the study participants had serum homocysteine levels more than 15nmol/L, 4% had vitamin B12 levels less than 203pg/ml while all 100 participants had normal folate levels of 4ng/ml and above.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Conclusions:&lt;/strong&gt; The prevalence of hyperhomocysteinemia, vitaminB12 and folate deficiencies among blood donors in LASUTH is low.&lt;/p&gt;

Interrelation between homocysteine metabolism and the development of autism spectrum disorder in children.

Evidence is emerging that dysregulation of circulating concentrations of homocysteine, an important intermediate in folate and vitamin B12 metabolism, is associated with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), but comprehensive assessments and correlations with disease characteristics have not been reported. Multivariate ordinal regression and restricted cubic spline (RCS) models were used to estimate independent correlations between serum homocysteine, folate, and vitamin B12 levels and clinical outcomes and severity of children with ASD. After adjusting for confounding factors, serum homocysteine levels were significantly higher in children with ASD than in healthy controls (β: 0.370; 95% CI: 0.299~0.441, p < 0.001). Moreover, homocysteine had a good diagnostic ability for distinguishing children with ASD from healthy subjects (AUC: 0.899, p < 0.001). The RCS model indicated a positive and linear association between serum homocysteine and the risk of ASD. The lowest quartile of folate was positively associated with ASD severity (OR: 4.227, 95% CI: 1.022~17.488, p = 0.041) compared to the highest quartile, and serum folate showed a negative and linear association with ASD severity. In addition, decreased concentrations of folate and vitamin B12 were associated with poor adaptive behavior developmental quotients of the Gesell Developmental Schedules (p < 0.05). Overall, an increased homocysteine level was associated with ASD in a linear manner and is thus a novel diagnostic biomarker for ASD. Decreased concentrations of folate and vitamin B12 were associated with poor clinical profiles of children with ASD. These findings suggest that homocysteine-lowering interventions or folate and vitamin B12 supplementation might be a viable treatment strategy for ASD.

An umbrella review of systematic reviews with meta-analysis on the role of vitamins in Parkinson's disease.

This umbrella review aimed to systematically review the available literature and assess the association of dietary intake or serum levels of different vitamins and the risk of PD, to help find out more efficient treatments for PD patients by replenishing the deficiency of vitamins. Pubmed/Medline, Scopus, Google Scholar and hand searching bibliographies of retrieved articles in duplicate, were used to detect all relevant meta-analyses investigating the relationship between vitamins and PD. After study selection, data were extracted from previously published meta-analyses and pooled by Review Manager version 5.4 and CMA software version 2.2.064 to achieve effect sizes. Level of statistical significance was set at P ≤ 0.05. 14 meta-analyses were included in the meta-review. Serum vitamin D and B12 levels were significantly lower in PD (SMD = -0.67 and SMD = -0.40 respectively). Homocysteine (Hcy) levels were significantly higher in PD patients (SMD = 1.26). Also the odds ratio for highest vs. lowest vitamin E intake was 0.73 which was significant. However, there was no significant difference between vitamin A, C and B6 intake or serum levels in PD vs. control groups. Serum vitamin D and B12 levels were significantly lower in PD in comparison to healthy individuals, while Hcy level was significantly higher in PD patients. Also higher vitamin E intake was associated with significantly lower risk of development of PD in comparison to lower vitamin E intake. However, there was no significant difference between risk of PD and higher vitamin A, C and B6 intake or serum levels of folate.

Predict the Progression of Cervical Intraepithelial Neoplasia by a Novel Marker Folate Combine with FRα, p16 and Ki-67.

PurposeTo study the expression of serum folate and red blood cell (RBC) folate, folate receptor α (FRα), p16INK4a (p16), and Ki-67 at different levels of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) and then analyze their role in the progression of CIN and their value as an early warning indicator of CIN progression.Patients and methodsWe randomly collected the data of patients at the Department of Gynecology in Guangxi Medical University Affiliated Cancer Hospital from January 2016 to December 2018: Normal controls (149 cases), CIN1 (150 cases), CIN2 (100 cases), and CIN3 (101 cases). [Ethical approval by Ethics Committee of the Second Hospital of Shanxi Medical University. (2013) No. (001–1)]. The expression of serum folate and RBC folate was detected by the chemiluminescence method, while the expression of FRα, p16, and Ki-67 was detected by Streptavidin-Perosidase (SP) immunohistochemistry.ResultsThere was no statistically significant difference in serum folate levels between different grades of CIN (P=0.784), but the RBC folate levels were statistically significant (P=0.015), and there was a negative correlation between RBC folate levels and CIN lesion grades (P<0.05). The FRα, p16, and Ki-67 levels in the CIN group were significantly different from those in the normal control group (P <0.01), and a positive correlation was found (P <0.01); FRα positivity (P=0.000), Ki-67 positivity (P=0.000), and low-level RBC folate (P=0.000) were independent risk factors for the progression of CIN; these indicators were combined to establish a random forest (RF) model in which the Ki-67+FRα model was used as the early warning model of CIN progression.ConclusionRBC folate, FRα, p16, and Ki-67 can be used as valuable clinical test indicators for predicting the progression of CIN; the combined detection model of Ki-67+FRα can be used as an early warning model for predicting the progression of CIN.

Vitamin d deficiency and metabolic syndrome: The joint effect on cardiovascular and all-cause mortality in the United States adults.

BACKGROUNDThe long-term impact of vitamin D deficiency and metabolic syndrome (MetS) on cardiovascular disease (CVD) and all-cause mortality are still a matter of debate. AIMTo test the hypotheses that lower serum 25 hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] concentrations (a marker of vitamin D level) and MetS have a long-term impact on the risk of CVD and all-cause mortality, and individuals with vitamin D deficiency can be identified by multiple factors. METHODSA sample of 9094 adults, 20 to 90 years of age, who participated in the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES III, 1988 to 1994) were followed through December 2015 was analyzed. The associations of serum 25(OH)D concentrations and MetS with CVD and all-cause mortality were analyzed longitudinally using Cox regression models. Classification and regression tree (CART) for machine learning was applied to classify individuals with vitamin D deficiency. RESULTSOf 9094 participants, 30% had serum 25(OH)D concentrations < 20 ng/mL (defined as vitamin D deficiency), 39% had serum 25(OH)D concentrations between 20 to 29 ng/mL (insufficiency), and 31% had serum 25(OH)D concentrations ≥30 ng/mL (sufficiency). Prevalence of MetS was 28.4%. During a mean of 18 years follow-up, vitamin D deficiency and MetS were significantly associated with increased risk of CVD and all-cause mortality. Subjects with both vitamin D deficiency and MetS had the highest risk of CVD mortality (HR = 1.77, 95%CI: 1.22-2.58) and all-cause mortality (HR = 1.62, 95%CI: 1.26-2.09), followed by those with both vitamin D insufficiency and MetS for CVD mortality (HR = 1.59, 95%CI: 1.12-2.24), and all-cause mortality (HR = 1.41, 95%CI: 1.08-1.85). Meanwhile, vitamin D sufficiency significantly decreased the risk of CVD and all-cause mortality for those who even had MetS. Among the total study sample, CART analysis suggests that being non-Hispanic Black, having lower serum folate level, and being female were the first three predictors for those with serum 25(OH)D deficiency. CONCLUSIONVitamin D deficiency and MetS were significantly associated with increased risk of CVD and all-cause mortality. There was a significant joint effect of vitamin D deficiency and MetS on the risk of mortality. Findings of the CART analysis may be useful to identify individuals positioned to benefit from interventions to reduce the risk of CVD and all-cause mortality.

Association of folate and vitamin B12 imbalance with adverse pregnancy outcomes among 11,549 pregnant women: An observational cohort study.

ObjectiveThis study aimed to evaluate maternal serum levels of folate, vitamin B12, and their ratio on admission for labor and determine whether an imbalance between folate and vitamin B12, represented by a higher or lower serum folate to vitamin B12 ratio (SFVB12R), was associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes.MethodsA retrospective cohort study of 11,549 pregnant women attending a district specialized hospital and who had serum folate (SF) and serum vitamin B12 (SVB12) levels measured at delivery was performed. The levels of SF, SVB12, and SFVB12R were defined as high (>95th percentile), normal (5–95th percentile), and low (<5th percentile). Information on pregnancy outcomes was retrieved from medical records. Linear regression was performed to examine the association of abnormal SF, SVB12, and SFVB12R levels with fetal growth indicators. Logistic regression was applied to estimate the association between abnormal SF, SVB12, and SFVB12R levels and pregnancy outcomes.ResultsLower SF levels were associated with higher risks of intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy (ICP, OR 1.58; 95% CI 1.15–2.17), pre-eclampsia (PE, OR 1.89; 95% CI 1.28–2.81), and a lower risk of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM, OR 0.40; 95% CI 0.23–0.70), whereas higher SVB12 levels were associated with a higher risk of ICP (OR 2.22; 95% CI 1.67–2.96), PE (OR 1.69; 95% CI 1.04-2.74), and GDM (OR 1.62; 95% CI 1.24–2.11). A higher SFVB12R increased birthweight (β 60.99; 95% CI 29.52–92.45) and was associated with a higher risk of large-for-gestational-age (LGA) newborns (OR 3.08; 95% CI 1.63–5.83); a lower SFVB12R decreased birthweight (β −43.81; 95% CI −75.62, −12.00) and was associated with a lower risk of LGA newborns (OR 0.75; 95% CI 0.56–1.00), and with higher risks of ICP (OR 2.03; 95% CI 1.54–2.67) and pregnancy-induced hypertension (PIH, OR 1.81; 95% CI 1.09–3.00).ConclusionAn imbalance between folate and vitamin B12, represented by a higher or lower SFVB12R before delivery, was significantly associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes (ICP/PIH/LGA).

Association between Serum Folic Acid Levels and Asthma in the Korean Population: A Study Based on the 2016-2018 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.

BackgroundFolic acid is involved in inflammatory reactions; however, the association between folic acid and allergic diseases, particularly asthma, remains unclear. Thus, this study aimed to evaluate the association between serum folic acid levels and asthma in Koreans.MethodsThis study analyzed the serum folic acid levels of 6,615 individuals included in the 2016–2018 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. The prevalence of asthma was determined using a questionnaire that identified cases of physician-diagnosed asthma. The relationship between serum folic acid levels and asthma was analyzed using logistic regression analysis.ResultsMultiple logistic regression analysis showed that a 1 ng/mL increase in serum folic acid level significantly reduced the risk of asthma after adjusting for confounding factors including sex, age, household income, current smoking, current alcohol use, and body mass index (odds ratio [OR], 0.930; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.876– 0.987; P=0.017). The relationship between the adjusted odds of asthma and serum folic acid levels were consistently inverse (OR, 2.266; 95% CI, 1.126–4.420; P for trend=0.038).ConclusionSerum folic acid levels are inversely associated with physician-diagnosed asthma in the Korean population.

Folate deficiency is associated with increased radiographic severity of osteoarthritis in knee joints but not in hand joints.

No previous studies have explored the effect of folate deficiency on the severity of osteoarthritis (OA). Therefore, we investigated the relationship between folate level and features on knee and hand radiographs in a large, population-based OA cohort. Among 9,260 subjects enrolled in the Dong-gu study, 2,489 who had knee and hand joint radiographs were included. Of these, subjects with a history of amputation or total knee replacement were excluded. Serum folate levels were measured using blood samples collected at the time of enrolment and stored. A semi-quantitative system was used to grade the severity of hand and knee x-ray changes. Linear regression was performed to assess relationships between serum folate levels and knee and hand radiographic scores after adjusting for age, sex, body mass index, smoking, alcohol consumption, education, physical activity, occupation, vitamin D, and ferritin. A total of 2,322 subjects were recruited. After adjusting for confounders, participants with folate deficiency (<4 ng/mL) had higher total (p<0.001), osteophyte (p<0.001), joint space narrowing (p=0.002), tibial attrition (p<0.001), and sclerosis (p=0.005) scores for knee joint radiographs compared to participants with a normal folate level. After adjusting for confounders, the radiographic scores for hand joints did not differ between the groups. Folate deficiency is associated with increased radiographic severity of OA in knee joints, but not in hand joints. Further studies are needed to explore the differential effects of folate on the severity of knee and hand OA.

Circulating folate concentrations and the risk of mild cognitive impairment: A prospective study on the older Chinese population without folic acid fortification.

The longitudinal association between serum folate concentrations and the risk of cognitive impairment remains unclear in populations with low folate levels. We examined the association between serum folate concentrations and mild cognitive impairment (MCI) in older adults in China, where mandatory fortification of foods with folic acid has not been implemented. We further explored if homocysteine (Hcy) and leukocyte telomere length (LTL) mediate the association between serum folate and MCI. We performed a longitudinal analysis of 3974 participants aged ≥60 years from the Tianjin Elderly Nutrition and Cognition (TENC) cohort study. The associations between serum folate level and the risk of cognitive impairment overall and stratified by apolipoprotein E (APOE) ε4 genotypes were evaluated using multivariable Cox proportional hazards models. The mediating effects of Hcy and LTL on the folate-MCI association were explored via a path analysis approach. Within a 3-year follow-up, we documented 560 incident MCI cases. After multivariable adjustment, higher serum folate concentrations were associated with lower incidence of MCI, with hazard ratios (95% confidence interval) across quartiles of folate (from lowest to highest concentrations) of 1.00 (reference), 0.66 (0.52, 0.83), 0.57 (0.45, 0.73), 0.66 (0.52, 0.84), respectively (p for trend &lt;0.001). In mediation analyses, the status of serum folate deficiency and MCI were correlated via two intermediary pathways, Hcy and Hcy-telomere (p &lt; 0.05). Lower folate concentrations, independently of APOE genotype, were associated with increased risk of MCI among elderly Chinese people, a population with relatively low folate intake. Our data were compatible with the mediation hypothesis that the association between folate status and MCI was mediated by Hcy and LTL.

Relationships of Serum Homocysteine, Vitamin B12, and Folic Acid Levels with Papulopustular Rosacea Severity: A Case-Control Study.

Background Rosacea is a chronic inflammatory skin disease with a multifactorial etiology. Recently, associations between serum homocysteine (Hcy) levels and inflammatory skin diseases, such as psoriasis and hidradenitis suppurativa, have been reported. However, no study has explored the levels of serum Hcy, folic acid, and vitamin B12 in patients with rosacea. Objective To investigate serum Hcy, vitamin B12, and folic acid levels in patients with papulopustular rosacea (PPR), we characterized the association of these levels with PPR severity. Methods This case-control study included 138 PPR patients and 58 healthy controls. The serum levels of Hcy, vitamin B12, and folic acid were measured. A correlation was assessed between disease severity and serum levels of Hcy, vitamin B12, and folic acid. Results Serum vitamin B12 and folic acid levels were significantly lower in PPR patients than in the healthy controls (p = 0.011 and p = 0.0173, respectively). Although serum Hcy levels did not significantly differ between PPR patients and healthy controls, PPR severity was positively correlated with serum Hcy levels (p < 0.001). Conclusions Our results suggest a possible association between hyperhomocysteinemia and vitamin B12 deficiency in patients with PPR.

ANEMIA IN PATIENTS WITH HEART FAILURE AND ITS CORRELATION WITH NT-PRO BNP: A RETROSPECTIVE OBSERVATIONAL STUDY FROM A TERTIARY CARE HOSPITAL IN SOUTH INDIA

Objective: To assess the prevalence of nutritional of anemia in Heart Failure patients and its correlation with the serum levels of NT-pro BNP. Methods: This is a single-center retrospective observational study, conducted at a tertiary care hospital in south India. Patients admitted to hospital with clinical diagnosis of HF based on validated clinical criteria were included in the study. Anemia was dened as hemoglobin (Hb) &lt;13 g/dl for males and &lt;12 g/dl for females, based on World Health Organization denition. Anemia was classied based on complete Iron prole, including serum iron, serum ferritin, total iron binding capacity, and transferrin saturation (TSAT). Serum levels of Vit B12 and Folate also assayed. Plasma concentrations of NTpro-BNP levels were assessed and correlated with the above parameters. A total of 100 patients ofResults: HF (69% males and 31% females) were studied. Most of the patients were of high-functional NYHA class ( NYHA Class III 81%) and with Moderate LV systolic Dysfunction (44%). Iron Deciency (ID)anemia was present in 72% patients with 50.4% patients having absolute and 21.6% patients having functional ID. Females were having signicantly higher prevalence of ID than males (80.6% vs 68.1%; p = 0.002). The NTpro-BNP levels in patients with IDA were statistically signicant (with p&lt;0.01) when compared to patients with normal iron levels . Conclusion: This study concludes that ID is much more common in patients with Heart Failure compared to Vit B12 or Folic acid deciency. The NTpro- BNP levels are elevated to much higher values in patients of heart failure with comorbid iron deciency states. Treating ID along with the routine heart failure management may improve the Quality of Life in HF patients.

Serum B12 and folate level in alcoholics and nonalcoholics

Serum B12 and folate level in alcoholics and nonalcoholics