Clinical Study Title:
Preoperative oral B vitamins prevent nitrous oxide-induced postoperative plasma homocysteine increases.

Plain English Summary:

The use of nitrous oxide has been associated with an increase in homocysteine levels of the blood. This study looked at the use of a b-vitamin complex during surgery involving nitrous oxide to help prevent the rise in homocysteine levels. A total of 53 patients who were undergoing elective surgery that lasted for less than 3 hours were enrolled. Participants were given a daily supplement of either a vitamin with folate, b6 and b12 or a placebo for a week prior to surgery. .Blood levels were measured before and during and after the surgery. Those participants who were using the b-vitamin complex did not have the increase in homocysteine levels that the other participants taking the placebo did. This supports the use of a daily b-vitamin supplement to help maintain the homocysteine levels in the blood during the use of nitrous oxide and other anesthesia.

Authors

Badner NH. Freeman D. Spence JD.

Institution

Department of Anesthesiology, Clinical Pharmacology, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada.

Country of Publication

United States

Source

Anesthesia & Analgesia. 93(6):1507-10, table of contents, 2001 Dec.