Saverio Latteri, Giulia Malaguarnera, Vito Emanuele Catania*, Gaetano La Greca, Gaetano Bertino, Antonio Maria Borzì, Filippo Drago and Michele Malaguarnera Pages 532 - 538 ( 7 )
<P>Background: Portal vein thrombosis (PVT) is a common complication of endstage hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). </P><P> The aim of our study was to evaluate the role of Homocysteine (Hcy) in HCC patient with PVT. Hcy is a sulphur amino-acid involved in two pathways, trans-sulphuration and remethylation, that involve vitamins B6, B12 and folates. </P><P> Methods: We recruited 54 patients with HCC and PVT, 60 patients with HCC and without PVT and 60 control subjects. We measured serum levels of Hcy, folate, vitamins B6 and B12. </P><P> Results: The comparison between HCC patients with PVT versus HCC without PVT was shown that mean values of Hcy were 6.4 nmol/L (p<0.0073) higher, LDL cholesterol were 4.8 mg/dl (p<0.0079) lower, vitamin B6 were 4.6 nmol/L(p=0.0544) lower, vitamins B 12 were 22.1 pg/ml (p=0.0001) lower. </P><P> Conclusion: High serum levels of Hcy are an established thrombotic risk factor in the general population. We found significantly higher levels of Hcy in HCC patients with PVT versus both HCC patients without PVT and controls.</P>
Homocysteine, Vitamin B12, Vitamin B6, Folate, Hepatocellular Carcinoma, Portal Vein thrombosis, Epigenetic.
Department of Medical, Surgical Sciences and Advanced Technologies "G.F. Ingrassia", University of Catania, 95123 Catania, Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Science, University of Catania, Catania 95123, Department of Medical, Surgical Sciences and Advanced Technologies "G.F. Ingrassia", University of Catania, 95123 Catania, Department of Internal Medicine and Systemic Diseases, University of Catania, 95123 Catania, Department of Internal Medicine and Systemic Diseases, University of Catania, 95123 Catania, Research Centre "The Great Senescence", University of Catania, 95100 Catania, Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Science, University of Catania, Catania 95123, Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Science, University of Catania, Catania 95123