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Total homocysteine and its predictors in Dutch children
Ingrid M van Beynum1, Martin den Heijer, Chris M G Thomas
1Department of Pediatrics, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre, Nijmegen, Netherlands. i.vanbeynum@cukz.umcn.nl
Insights
Total homocysteine (tHcy) levels increase with age in children, with plasma folate being a key predictor. The MTHFR 677C-->T gene variant had a minimal impact on tHcy concentrations in this pediatric population.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Nutrition
- Biochemistry
- Genetics
Background:
- Adult studies link vitamin status, MTHFR genotype, age, sex, and lifestyle to total homocysteine (tHcy).
- Limited data exist on these tHcy predictors in children.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine total homocysteine (tHcy) levels in Dutch children.
- To identify predictors of tHcy concentrations across childhood.
Main Methods:
- Cross-sectional analysis of 234 white children aged 0–19 years.
- Assessed plasma folate, vitamin B-12, and MTHFR 677C-->T genotype.
- Correlated tHcy with age, sex, vitamin status, and genotype.
Main Results:
- Geometric mean tHcy concentrations ranged from 5.1 to 8.7 µmol/L across age groups (0–19 years).
- Plasma folate and vitamin B-12 decreased with age; folate showed a stronger inverse association with tHcy.
- The MTHFR 677C-->T polymorphism was present in 8.2% but did not significantly alter tHcy levels.
Conclusions:
- Established age-specific tHcy reference data for children.
- tHcy concentrations increase with age in both sexes.
- Plasma folate is a significant, concentration-dependent predictor of tHcy; MTHFR genotype plays a minor role.
Background:
Vitamin status, methylenentetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) genotype, age, sex, and lifestyle factors are all predictors of total homocysteine (tHcy) concentrations in adults. Limited data are available about the influence of these factors on tHcy in children.
Objective:
The objective was to describe tHcy and its predictors in Dutch children.
Design:
A sample of 234 white children aged 0-19 y was analyzed cross-sectionally.
Results:
The geometric mean tHcy concentrations were 5.1 (95% CI: 4.6, 5.6), 4.6 (4.2, 5.1), 6.2 (5.6, 6.9), 7.3 (6.7, 8.0), and 8.7 (7.9, 9.6) micromol/L in the 0-1, 2-5, 6-10, 11-14, and 15-19 y groups, respectively. Plasma folate and vitamin B-12 concentrations decreased markedly with age. The inverse association between tHcy and plasma folate seen at all ages was stronger than that between tHcy and plasma vitamin B-12. A negative association of plasma folate with tHcy was confined to folate concentrations <20 nmol/L. Homozygosity for the MTHFR 677C-->T polymorphism was identified in 8.2% of the children. The homocysteine concentration did not differ significantly between the MTHFR genotypes.
Conclusions:
This study provided age-specific data regarding tHcy concentrations and their predictors in the whole range of childhood. The tHcy concentration increased as a function of age in both sexes. Plasma folate was a concentration-dependent predictor of tHcy. The MTHFR 677C-->T polymorphism played a minor role in determining tHcy concentrations in children.
