Treatment of hyperhomocysteinemia with folic acid reduces oxidative stress in renal transplant recipients

BACKGROUND: We conducted a prospective, uncontrolled, open study to assess the relationship between homocysteine (tHcy) and oxidative stress in chronic, stable, renal transplant recipients (RTR). METHODS: Included in the study were 17 chronic, stable RTR. All the patients received folic acid (5 mg/day). tHcy and total antioxidant capacity (TAOC) were measured before and at the end of the study period. RESULTS: Mean tHcy concentration was 26+/-10 micromol/L. tHcy significantly decreased during the study period (26+/-10 vs. 18+/-7 micromol/L; P<0.001). There was a significant inverse relationship between TAOC and tHcy (r= -0.33; P=0.01). TAOC significantly increased during the study period (1.49+/-0.23-1.78+/-0.6; P<0.001). There was an inverse relationship between the variation in tHcy and the variation in TAOC (r= -0.44; P=0.01). CONCLUSION: Our results demonstrate that hyperhomocysteinemia contributed to increased oxidative stress in RTR. tHcy-lowering treatment with folic acid may lower oxidative stress.