Assessment of Plasma Homocysteine Level among Sudanese Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients

Homocysteine (Hcy) is a four-carbon amino acid with a free thiol group, which is formed by demethylation of methionine, together with the help of some vitamins (B12, B6 and folate). The mechanisms responsible for hyperhomocysteinaemia in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) are not clear. However, drugs such as methotrexate has shown to have an effect on homocysteine metabolism, and interfers with vitamin metabolism and absorption. The aim of study was to assess plasma homocysteine level among Sudanese rheumatoid arthritis patients and to correlate homocysteine level with various types of treatment. A case control study was performed in Khartoum state, Sudan. A total of 60 Sudanese were enrolled in this study (30 RA patients and 30 healthy controls), 6 (20%) were males and 24 (80%) were females. Homocysteine levels were assessed using A15 analyzer. The consents were obtained from patients and it was approved by ethical committee of AL Neelain University. The mean ± SD was determined and then compared between cases group and controls group by calculating the P.value, the data was analyzed using SPSS.  Homocysteine was found to be increased in 26 (86.7%) out of 30 RA cases. There was a significant difference in homocysteine level (P-value: 0.000) between cases and controls; with a mean of 24.6, 15.06 μmol/L; respectively. There was a significant in homocysteine levels with different types of treatment (P-value: 0.000). Plasma homocysteine level increases in Rheumatoid arthritis.