Effect of nitrous oxide (N2O) explosure during surgery on homocysteine (Hcy) concentrations of children

• Published in: The FASEB journal Vol. 24; no. S1; p. 915.9
• Main Authors: Pichardo, Dubraiicka, Luginbuehl, Igor, Shakur, Yaseer, Wales, Paul
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology 01-04-2010
• ISSN: 0892-6638; 1530-6860
• DOI: 10.1096/fasebj.24.1_supplement.915.9

Postoperative acute hyperhomocysteinemia has been associated with an increased risk of complications in adults. In this study we determined the effect of N2O on the Hcy concentrations of children and whether blood levels of folate vitamin B12, B6, methylmalonic acid (MMA) and methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase C6777T genotype affected this relationship. Total Hcy was measured before and after N2O. Vitamin levels, MMA and genotype were determined preoperatively. Median age of the 32 participants was 11mo. (3–126mo.). All children had folate and B6 levels above cut‐off values (7.4; 31nmol/L respectively). Five children had MMA levels above cut‐off (≥ 0.23μmol/L). Post‐exposure Hcy increased by 25% (P= <0.001). Length of exposure was strongly associated with the increase (r=0.696, P=<0.001). There was a trend between vitamin B12 and Hcy increase (r = − 0.450, P=0.080). Folate, vitamin B6 and genotype had no effect on Hcy. In conclusion, Hcy increases after exposure to N2O in children. Studies investigating clinical relevance of the increase and benefit of pre‐surgical vitamin B12 supplementation may prove worthwhile. Funding: Mead Johnson/Heinz/Weston Endowment for Nutrition/Metabolism Research; CONACYT.