[Effects of levofolinic acid on plasma homocysteine concentrations in healthy and young women in preconceptional care]

Abstract

Background: Increases in total plasmatic homocysteine (tHcy) represents a risk factor for neural tube defects. We studied the effects of levofolinic acid (l,5-formyl-tetrahydrofolic) on the plasmatic tHcylevels in women of child-bearing age.

Materials and method: Healthy women aged 18-35 years (n = 30) received levofolinic acid, 5 mg/day,orally for 30 days. Both tHcy and intraerythrocytic folate levels were measured before treatment (day 0), on days 2, 5, 10 and 30 within the treatment period and on days 30 (day 60) and 60 (day 90) after the treatment was finished. Plasmatic tHcy was measured by fluorescence polarisation immunoassay and intraerythrocyticfolates by chemiluminescent immunoassay.

Results: Plasmatic tHcy decreased from the second day of treatment onwards (day 0 vs. 2: mean of difference: -1.24 micromol/l; CI 95% = -0.84 to -1.63; p < 0.001). The maximum decline (32.3%) was observed after 30 days (mean of difference = -2.72 micromol/l; CI 95% = -2.20 to -3.24; p < 0.001).After finishing the treatment, the hypohomocysteinic effect persisted up to days 60 (mean of difference = -2.67 micromol/l; CI 95% = -2.07 to -3.26; p < 0.001)and 90 (mean of difference = -1.49 micromol/l; CI 95% = -0.94 to -2.03; p < 0.001). The response was greater when the plasmatic tHcy concentration was >= 9 micromol/l.

Conclusions: Levofolinic acid leads to a earlier, intense and persistent drop of the plasmatictHcy levels.