How Does Entacapon Affect Homocysteine Levels?
Gönül Akdağ1
, Feriha Özer2, Mithat Bedir3, Özlem Çokar4, Belgin Petek Balcı4, Gülsün Gül5
1Kutahya Health Sciences University Faculty of Medicine, Department of Neurology, Kutahya, Turkey
2Koc University Faculty of Medicine, Department of Neurology, Istanbul, Turkey
3Mardin State Hospital, Clinic of Neurology, Mardin, Turkey
4University of Health Sciences Turkey, Istanbul Haseki Training and Research Hospital, Clinic of Neurology, Istanbul, Turkey
5Dortyol State Hospital, Clinic of Neurology, Hatay, Turkey
Keywords: Idiopathic Parkinson’s disease, entacapone, homocysteine
Abstract
Objective: To determine homocysteine, vitamin B12, and folate levels in patients with Parkinson’s disease and to investigate the effect of entacapone use on homocysteine levels.
Materials and Methods: The records of patients who were followed up in our outpatient clinic between 2009 and 2010 were reviewed retrospectively. The demographic, clinical characteristics, and laboratory findings of the patients were recorded. The control group consisted of healthy subjects with similar demographic characteristics. The patients were divided into two groups according to the treatment they received.
Results: The control group consisted of 22 healthy subjects (group 1), group 2 comprised 22 patients [entacapone (+)], and group 3 constitued 50 patients [entacapone (-)]. The homocysteine levels of the control group were significantly lower than the entacapone (-) and entacapone (+) groups. The vitamin B12 level of the control group was significantly higher than in the entacapone (-) group. The folate levels of the control group were significantly higher than those of the entacapone (-) group. There was no significant difference between the entacapone (-) and entacapone (+) groups in terms of homocysteine, vitamin B12, and folate levels.
Conclusion: Levodopa treatment affects homocysteine levels in patients with Parkinson’s disease. The effect of levodopa + entacapone on plasma homocysteine levels should be evaluated together with basal vitamin B12 and folate levels and genetic features.
University of Health Sciences Turkey, İstanbul Haseki Training and Research Hospital Ethics Committee (date: 23.06.2009, decision no: 14) and it was performed according to the Declaration of Helsinki.
Since the study was in the form of a retrospective file scan, patient consent could not be obtained.
Externally and internally peer-reviewed.
Concept: G.A., F.Ö., Design: G.A., F.Ö., Ö.Ç., Data Collection or Processing: G.A., M.B., G.G., Analysis or Interpretation: G.A., F.Ö., B.P.B., Literature Search: G.A., F.Ö., Writing: G.A.
No conflict of interest was declared by the authors.
The authors declared that this study received no financial support.