Clinical Trials Testing the Homocysteine Hypothesis

Letters20 August 2002Clinical Trials Testing the Homocysteine HypothesisCynthia M. Carlsson, MD and James H. Stein, MDCynthia M. Carlsson, MDUniversity of Wisconsin Medical School; Madison, WI 53792 and James H. Stein, MDUniversity of Wisconsin Medical School; Madison, WI 53792Author, Article, and Disclosure Informationhttps://doi.org/10.7326/0003-4819-137-4-200208200-00020 SectionsAboutFull TextPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissions ShareFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail TO THE EDITOR:Bostom and colleagues (1) described the effect of mandated folic acid fortification of cereal grain products on the statistical power of several large trials assessing the effects of total homocysteine-lowering therapy for the potential reduction of cardiovascular disease outcomes. Increased exposure to folic acid–fortified flour products has affected recruitment in the Vitamin Intervention for Stroke Prevention trial, leading those investigators to decrease the total homocysteine level used as an inclusion criterion from 10.5 µmol/L to 9.5 µmol/L for men and to 8.5 µmol/L for women.We have had similar difficulties in recruiting older adults for a study ...References1. Bostom AG, Selhub J, Jacques PF, Rosenberg IH. Power Shortage: clinical trials testing the "homocysteine hypothesis" against a background of folic acid-fortified cereal grain flour. Ann Intern Med. 2001;135:133-7. [PMID: 11453713] LinkGoogle Scholar2. Hernanz A, Fernández-Vivancos E, Montiel C, Vazquez JJ, Arnalich F. Changes in the intracellular homocysteine and glutathione content associated with aging. Life Sci. 2000;67:1317-24. [PMID: 10972200] CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar3. Lyle BJ, Mares-Perlman JA, Klein BE, Klein R, Greger JL. Supplement users differ from nonusers in demographic, lifestyle, dietary and health characteristics. J Nutr. 1998;128:2355-62. [PMID: 9868181] CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar4. Moustapha A, Robinson K. Homocysteine: an emerging age-related cardiovascular risk factor. Geriatrics. 1999;54:41, 44-6, 49-51. [PMID: 10212627] MedlineGoogle Scholar Author, Article, and Disclosure InformationAffiliations: University of Wisconsin Medical School; Madison, WI 53792 PreviousarticleNextarticle Advertisement FiguresReferencesRelatedDetailsSee AlsoPower Shortage: Clinical Trials Testing the "Homocysteine Hypothesis" against a Background of Folic Acid–Fortified Cereal Grain Flour Andrew G. Bostom , Jacob Selhub , Paul F. Jacques , and Irwin H. Rosenberg Metrics Cited byFortification of wheat and maize flour with folic acid for population health outcomesHomocysteine: to measure or not to measure? Focus on "Functional NMDA receptors in rat erythrocytes"Homocysteine, left ventricular dysfunction and coronary artery disease: is there a link?Homocysteine Lowering with Folic Acid and Vitamin B SupplementsHomocysteine and cardiovascular disease 20 August 2002Volume 137, Issue 4Page: 295-296KeywordsAge groupsCardiovascular diseasesCardiovascular therapyClinical trialsElderlyFlourFolic acidStroke ePublished: 20 August 2002 Issue Published: 20 August 2002 Copyright & PermissionsCopyright © 2002 by American College of Physicians. All Rights Reserved.PDF downloadLoading ...