Significant reduction of homocysteine level with multiple B vitamins in atrophic glossitis patients.

OBJECTIVE

This study evaluated whether supplementations of different vitamins and iron could reduce the serum homocysteine levels in 91 atrophic glossitis (AG) patients.

MATERIALS AND

METHODS

Atrophic glossitis (AG) patients with concomitant deficiencies of vitamin B12 only (n = 39, group I), folic acid only (n = 10, group II), iron only (n = 9, group III), or vitamin B12 plus iron (n = 19, group IV) were treated with vitamin BC capsules plus deficient hematinics. AG patients without definite hematinic deficiencies (n = 14, group V) were treated with vitamin BC capsules only. The blood homocysteine and hematinic levels at baseline and after treatment till all oral symptoms had disappeared were measured and compared by paired t-test.

RESULTS

Supplementations with vitamin BC capsules plus corresponding deficient hematinics for groups I, II, III, IV patients and with vitamin BC capsules only for group V patients could reduce the high serum homocysteine levels to significantly lower levels after a mean treatment period of 8.3-11.6 months (all P-values < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

Supplementations with vitamin BC capsules plus corresponding deficient hematinics or with vitamin BC capsules only can reduce the high serum homocysteine levels to significantly lower levels in AG patients.