Determinants of plasma total homocysteine levels in Korean chronic renal transplant recipients.

Objective: Study the determinants of plasma total homocysteine (tHcy) levels, such as fasting levels of serum creatinine (SCr), albumin, plasma tHcy, folate, B(12), and pyridoxal-5'-phosphate (PLP) in chronic Korean renal transplant recipients (RTR).

Methods: Cross-sectional study. Methods: Nephrology & Transplant Service in Catholic University Kangnam St. Mary's Hospital, Seoul, Korea. Methods: Ninety-one chronic Korean RTR with stable renal function who were > or =6 months post-transplant. Methods: Used medical record review and anthropometric measurements, and overnight (10 to 14 hours) fasting blood samples were measured for plasma tHcy, PLP, folate, B(12), SCr, and albumin.

Results: The prevalence of hyperhomocysteinemia (tHcy > 12 micromol/L) was 56%, and 47% had low plasma folate levels (<3 ng/mL). Linear modeling with analysis of covariance adjusted for age, sex, albumin, SCr, and plasma B-vitamin status revealed that only SCr (standard regression coefficient R = +0.663, P<.001), plasma folate (R = -0.276, P =.001), and B(12) (R = -0.149, marginal, P =.08) were independent determinants of fasting tHcy levels in this patient population.

Conclusions: Renal function is the major independent determinant of the fasting tHcy levels among chronic, stable Korean RTR, and that B-vitamin status plays a secondary role among such patients.