Original Article

Relationship Between Plasma Homocystein Levels and Polyneuropaty in Patients Using Levodopa For Idiopathic Parkinson’s Disease

  • Mithat Bedir
  • Hürtan Acar
  • Feriha Özer
  • Birgül Kurşun Atmaca
  • Aytül Mutlu
  • Fazıl Genç
  • Serkan Özben
  • Macit Koldaş
  • Tuğba Özcan Aydemir
  • Belgin Balcı Petek

Received Date: 19.12.2011 Accepted Date: 08.02.2012 Med Bull Haseki 2012;50(2):53-58

Objective:

Recent studies showed high plasma homocysteine levels in patients treated with Levodopa for Parkinson’s disease (PD). Homocysteine, due to its exotoxic effect, might be the cause of polyneuropathy seen in PD. In this study, our aim was to show the correlation between high concentration of plasma homocysteine levels and polyneuropathy associated with PD.

Material and Methods:

Forty-one patients with PD receiving levodopa treatment (patient group) and 30 healthy subjects (control group) were included in this study. We compared the two groups in terms of electrophysiological findings. Twelve patients had high plasma homocysteine levels and 29 of them had low plasma homocysteine levels.

Results:

Six of the 41 patients had sensorial polyneuropathy and decreased compound muscle action potantiel amplitude compared to controls. Two patients had high plasma homocysteine levels, two patients had nearly high plasma homocysteine levels, two patients had low plasma homocysteine levels who had sensorial polyneuropathy.

Conclusion:

Although in our study, we did not show any correlation between polyneuropathy and high plasma homocysteine levels, further studies including homogeneous groups of younger patients with PD are needed.

Keywords: Electrophysiology, high plasma level of homocystein concentration, levodopa treatment, parkinson disease, polyneuropathy

Full Text (Turkish)