Homocysteine and folate levels in postmenopausal women.

OBJECTIVES: To assess total homocysteine (tHcy) and folate levels in postmenopausal women and investigate whether age, menopause duration, kind of menopause and tobacco use had an effect on these levels. METHODS: Total homocysteine and folate levels were measured in fasting blood samples of 200 postmenopausal women with normal thyroid and renal function tests. Patients were not receiving vitamins or hormone replacement therapy. RESULTS: Total homocysteine levels increased significantly after 60 years while folate levels showed a decrease trend after 65 years. Menopause duration had no effect on folate levels and increased significantly tHcy levels after >180 months duration. The kind of menopause did not influence tHcy and folate levels. Tobacco use reduced significantly folate levels. CONCLUSIONS: Age seems to be the principal factor influencing tHcy levels. We believe that decreased folate levels also reflect an age-associated inadequate dietary intake. Tobacco use did not alter tHcy levels; however, we found smoking to lower folate levels.

Altered immunophenotypic parameters in infertile women. Possible role of herpes viremia.

PROBLEM: Purpose of this study was to reveal any alteration in peripheral blood lymphocytic concentrations of a large cohort of infertile women and to investigate the possible role of herpes viremia in the peripheral immunostimulation. METHOD OF STUDY: The immunophenotypic characteristics and the presence of herpes viruses DNA in the peripheral blood of 168 infertile women were studied. RESULTS: Peripheral CD56+/CD16+ natural killer (NK) cell concentration, CD56+/CD16- NK cell concentration, white blood cell (WBC) concentration and lymphocyte concentration were statistically correlated to herpes viremia. Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) viremia is related with a limited reduction of CD56+/CD16- cell levels in the peripheral blood of infertile women with regard to the rest of herpes viruses. High T-lymphocyte concentration, CD4+ T-cell concentration and CD8+ T-cell concentration was observed in women positive for three different kinds of herpes viruses (triple viremia) in the peripheral blood. CONCLUSIONS: Assuming that all women under study remained asymptomatic, these data suggest that subclinical herpesvirus viremia may be an important cause of peripheral immunostimulation in women with a history of infertility.