Lowering blood homocysteine with folic acid based supplements: meta-analysis of randomised trials

Lowering blood homocysteine with folic acid based supplements: meta-analysis of randomised trials

21 March 1998 | Homocysteine Lowering Trialists' Collaboration
The study describes the management and monitoring of infants exposed to hypoxia during an aircraft flight. Airway hypoxia was discontinued as soon as possible in infants showing desaturation, and no infant remained at ≤80% oxygen for more than 126 seconds. Four infants whose hypoxia was discontinued early had normal oxygen saturation levels during subsequent monitoring. The study emphasizes the ethical considerations in continuing hospital monitoring and the potential risks involved. Despite precautions, including a special medical gas mixture and continuous monitoring, two infants died following an aircraft flight, but the duration and degree of hypoxia they experienced are unknown. The study also discusses the reduction in blood homocysteine concentrations achieved by dietary supplementation with folic acid and vitamins B-12 or B-6. The meta-analysis found that folic acid supplements reduced blood homocysteine by about a quarter to a third in Western populations, with similar effects for doses ranging from 0.5 to 5 mg daily. Vitamin B-12 added to folic acid further reduced homocysteine by about 7%, while vitamin B-6 did not have a significant additional effect. The study concludes that large-scale randomized trials are needed to determine whether lowering blood homocysteine concentrations can reduce the risk of vascular disease in high-risk populations.The study describes the management and monitoring of infants exposed to hypoxia during an aircraft flight. Airway hypoxia was discontinued as soon as possible in infants showing desaturation, and no infant remained at ≤80% oxygen for more than 126 seconds. Four infants whose hypoxia was discontinued early had normal oxygen saturation levels during subsequent monitoring. The study emphasizes the ethical considerations in continuing hospital monitoring and the potential risks involved. Despite precautions, including a special medical gas mixture and continuous monitoring, two infants died following an aircraft flight, but the duration and degree of hypoxia they experienced are unknown. The study also discusses the reduction in blood homocysteine concentrations achieved by dietary supplementation with folic acid and vitamins B-12 or B-6. The meta-analysis found that folic acid supplements reduced blood homocysteine by about a quarter to a third in Western populations, with similar effects for doses ranging from 0.5 to 5 mg daily. Vitamin B-12 added to folic acid further reduced homocysteine by about 7%, while vitamin B-6 did not have a significant additional effect. The study concludes that large-scale randomized trials are needed to determine whether lowering blood homocysteine concentrations can reduce the risk of vascular disease in high-risk populations.
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[slides and audio] Lowering blood homocysteine with folic acid based supplements%3A meta-analysis of randomised trials