The effect of atorvastatin on plasma homocysteine, vitamin B12 and folic acid levels

Purpose: The aim of present study is to investigate the effect of atorvastatin statin group drugs, 20mg/day) intake on plasma homocysteine (tHcy), vitamin B12 and folic acid concentrations. Material and methods: The sample of this study consists of 20 voluntary patients, who applied to Cardiology Outpatient clinic of Baskent University Hospital, Ankara, from November 2003 to February 2004. Ten patients used atorvastatin 20 mg/day for a mean (+/- SD) duration 24.14 +/- 6.5 months (range, 3.6 to 156 months) and the remaining 10 patients did not use any atorvastatin and were used as a control subjects in this study. Anthropometric measurements, a three-day 24-h dietary record and biochemical parameters such as plasma tHcy, folate and vitamin B12 level were measured. Results: Age, BAIL body fin, waist/hip ratio of each patient were similar (p>0.05). When the energy and nutrient intake of the groups were compared, no significant differences were found (p>0.05). Serum folate levels of atorvastatin group were higher than the control group hut there were no significant differences in vitamin 812, plasma tficy total cholesterol and its fractions between two groups. Plasma triglyceride levels of the control group were higher than the atorvastatin group. There was a negative but not a significant correlation between plasma tHcy concentration, and serum folate and vitamin B12 for atorvastatin group and between plasma tHcy concentration and vitamin B12 for control group. Conclusion: No significant differences in plasma tHcy concentration between 2 groups could be attributed to usage (of low dose of atorvastatin and inadequate intake of folate and vitamin B12 of patients.