SERUM B12 VITAMIN CONCENTRATIONS IN CHRONIC SPONTANEOUS URTICARIA PATIENTS

Abstract

Objective: The study aimed to determine both the serum total B12 vitamin concentration and the serum active form of B12 vitamin (holotranscobalamin – holoTC) concentration in CSU patients in Ho Chi Minh city.

Subjects & methods: This study was carried out at the University Medical Center Ho Chi Minh city from January 2020 to June 2020. A cross-sectional study was conducted. Blood samples were collected to measure both the serum total B12 vitamin concentration and the serum holoTC concentration by Electrochemiluminescence Immunoassay (ECLIA) from 45 CSU patients and 11 healthy people. We used the Urticaria Activity Score for the CSU patients to assess the disease activity in 4 consecutive days (UAS4).

Results: The results showed that the median serum total B12 vitamin concentration in the CSU group was 478,4 (25^th-75^th percentile range, 404 - 579,7) pmol/L and in the healthy group was 719,7 (25^th-75^th percentile range, 615,9 - 815,4) pmol/L. About the serum holoTC concentration, the CSU group had the median at 83,8 (25^th-75^th percentile range, 64,1 - 156) pmol/L which was also lower than the healthy group - 155,3 (25^th-75^th percentile range, 105,1 - 187) pmol/L. Especially, a strong negative relationship was found between the serum holoTC concentration and the UAS4 groups (Spearman's correlation coefficient -0,58, p<0,001).

Conclusions: Our results showed that the CSU patients in Ho Chi Minh city have lower in both the serum total B12 vitamin concentration and the serum holoTC concentration than the healthy people and there is a negative relationship between serum holoTC concentration and the UAS4 groups.