In this study we determined the effect of nitrous oxide (N2O) on homocysteine concentrations in children and whether blood levels of folate, vitamin B12, B6, methylmalonic acid (MMA) and methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase C6777T genotype affected this relationship. Homocysteine was measured before and after N2O. Vitamin levels, MMA and genotype were determined preoperatively. Median age of the 32 participants was 11 months (3-126 months). All children had folate and B6 levels above deficiency values (7.4, 20nmol/L respectively). Five children had MMA levels indicating deficiency (≥0.21µmol/L). Post-exposure homocysteine concentrations increased by 25% (P= <0.001). Duration of exposure and initial homocysteine concentrations were predictors of the increase (r2= 0.821, P= <0.001). Vitamin B12 and initial homocysteine concentrations were inversely associated (r2 = 0.277, P= 0.004). Folate, vitamin B6 and genotype showed no effect. In conclusion, N2O exposure leads to increased homocysteine in children. Studies investigating benefit of pre-surgical vitamin B12 supplementation may prove worthwhile.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:TORONTO/oai:tspace.library.utoronto.ca:1807/32910 |
| Date | 31 August 2012 |
| Creators | Pichardo, Dubraiicka |
| Contributors | O'Connor, Deborah Louise |
| Source Sets | University of Toronto |
| Language | en_ca |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
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