Plasma methylmalonic acid in relation to serum cobalamin and plasmahomocysteine in a psychogeriatric population and the effect ofcobalamin treatment
K. Nilsson
Bok Engelsk 1997
| Utgitt | 1997
|
|---|---|
| Omfang | Side 67- 72
|
| Opplysninger | Cobalamin deficiency seems to be a relatively common condition inpsychogeriatric patients. To elucidate the diagnostic possibility ofcobalamin deficiency we have in this study analysed three markers forcobalamin deficiency, plasma methylmalonic acid, plasma homocysteineand serum cobalamin, in 96 psychogeriatric patients. Patients weredivided into four groups according to serum cobalamins above or below150 pmol/l and normal (<19.9 mu mol/l) or increased plasmahomocysteine. The upper reference limit (95th percentile) for plasmamethylmalonic acid in 100 healthy subjects was established to 0.42 mumol/l. The mean value of methylmalonic acid was increased only in thegroup of patients with serum cobalamin below 150 pmol/l and increasedplasma homocysteine compared to the other groups. In this group six(46%) out of 13 patients exhibited increased plasma methylmalonicacid, whereas in the other groups the frequency of increased plasmamethylmalonic acid only varied from 10 to 13%. During cobalaminsupplementation the most pronounced decrease of plasma methylmalonicacid also occurred in the group of patients with low serum cobalaminlevels and increased plasma homocysteine. Only 39% of the initialmean value for plasma methylmalonic acid was noted after 7-10 days ofcobalamin administration.
|
| Emner |
