Relationship between plasma folate and homocysteine concentrations in alcoholics according to liver enzyme activity

Abstract

The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between folate and homocysteine levels in alcoholics taking into consideration the liver enzyme activity as sensitive markers of hepatocellular injury. Folate and homocysteine concentrations did not differ between alcoholics classified according to the liver enzyme activity. The association between folate and homocysteine levels exists in the alcoholics with normal liver enzyme activity and in the controls. Therefore, we concluded that before the liver hepatocellular injury due to alcohol abuse, the correlation between folate and homocysteine concentrations in alcoholics exists as in the healthy controls. In the presence of hepatocellular injury, the association disappears.