Vitamin B levels in blood serum and brain MRI changes in patients with H-type hypertension

Objective To investigate the levels of plasma homocysteine (Hcy),serum folic acid and serum vitamin B12 in patients with H-type hypertension to provide some reference for intervening the white matter lesions. Methods One hundred and ten patients with hypertension (78 with H-type hypertension and 32 with hypertension),admitted to our hospital from April 2010 to March 2011,and other 50 healthy controls were chosen in our study; plasma Hcy level and serum folic acid and vitamin B12 levels were measured by using radioimmunoassay among control group,hypertension group and H-type hypertension group.White matter lesion changes of all patients were evaluated by MRI. Results The plasma Hcy level and serum folic acid and vitamin B12 levels in H-type hypertension group were significantly higher than those in control group and hypertension group (P＜0.05); the degree of white matter lesions was significantly different between each 2 groups (P＜0.05): the patients of H-type hypertension group had the most obvious white matter lesions, following by hypertension group and control group. Conclusion The patients with H-type hypertension have decreased folic acid and vitamin B12 levels and severe white matter lesion changes, which might be correlated with hyperhomocysteinemia. Key words: H-type hypertension; Folic acid; Vitamin B12; White matter lesion