Methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase 677CT polymorphism and cobalamin, folate, and homocysteine status in Spanish adolescents.

BACKGROUND

Folate and cobalamin are responsible for healthy growth. However, the B-vitamin and homocysteine status of adolescents is not well known. The aim was to assess the status of folate, cobalamin, and homocysteine in healthy Spanish adolescents.

METHODS

Serum cobalamin, serum folate, homocysteine, methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase 677C>T variant, BMI, smoking habits, and Tanner stage were determined according to gender in 165 adolescents (84 females, 81 males; 13-18.5 years) using the Student's t test, Mann-Whitney U test and chi(2) test, respectively. Interactions between socioeconomic status, age group, methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase polymorphism, BMI, smoking habits, Tanner stage, and vitamin status, respectively, were examined by ANOVA or Kruskal-Wallis H test (p < 0.05).

RESULTS

Boys had markedly higher homocysteine (males 8.92 (5.51-22.94) micromol/l; females 7.91 (5.09-13.86) micromol/l), whereas girls showed higher serum cobalamin concentrations (males 540.00 (268.00-946.47) pmol/l; females 594.82 (280.63-1,559.64) pmol/l). Data are shown as medians and the 2.5th to 97.5th percentiles in parentheses. Adolescents with the homozygous variant of methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase displayed significantly higher homocysteine and lower serum folate: normal 5.73 (3.09-10.73) ng/ml serum folate, 7.57 (4.94-12.94) micromol/l homocysteine; homozygous 4.10 (2.75-7.88) ng/ml serum folate, 10.83 (7.00-22.82) micromol/l homocysteine.

CONCLUSION

The present study provides data on the folate, cobalamin, and homocysteine status of Spanish adolescents. To assure a better assessment, revision of references for adolescents is still needed.