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Measuring the 50% Haemolytic Complement (CH50) Activity of Serum
Published on: March 29, 2010
[Serum homocysteine levels in healthy Chilean adults]
D Bunout1, M Petermann, P de la Maza
1Instituto de Nutrición y Tecnología de los Alimentos (INTA), Santiago, Chile.
Background:
Hyperhomocysteinemia is a newly recognized cardiovascular risk factor that is present in 10 to 20% of European and North American individuals.
Aim:
To measure homocysteine levels in healthy adults in Chile.
Subjects And Methods:
Serum homocysteine levels were measured in healthy adults using a fluorimetric HPLC method. Folic acid, vitamin. B12, serum lipids, creatinine and glucose were also assessed. All subjects answered a dietary habits questionnaire.
Results:
One hundred twenty eight subjects (90 female) aged 22 to 78 years old were studied. Homocysteine levels were 9.7 +/- 6.0 and 7.0 +/- 3.1 mumol/l in men and women respectively (p < 0.001). Folic acid levels were 6.1 +/- 2.7 and 6.1 +/- 2.9 ng/ml in men and women, and 24% of individuals had values below 4 ng/ml. Vitamin B12 levels were 393 +/- 147 and 393 +/- 163 pg/ml in the same groups. There was a negative correlation between homocysteine and folic acid levels and a positive correlation between homocysteine and creatinine levels.
Conclusions:
Homocysteine levels in healthy Chilean individuals are similar to those reported abroad. Low folic acid levels were found in 24% of subjects.
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