DMSA Not Helpful For Homocysteine Levels In Dialysis Patients
Dimercaptosuccinic acid (DMSA) is not effective in lowering elevated homo-cysteine levels in hemodialysis patients. Based on two small pilot studies and on the hypothesis that DMSA might be able to displace and chelate homocysteine from albumin, researchers from the University of Western Ontario, Canada, investigated whether daily DMSA could decrease plasma homocysteine levels in 38 vitamin-replete hemodialysis patients.
In both DMSA and placebo patients, homocysteine levels remained virtually unchanged after four and eight weeks. Adjustments for baseline characteristics of the patients did not alter the results.
celebrex drug
Homocysteine is thought to be a factor for cardiovascular disease, but more evidence is needed. Until homocysteine levels can be lowered safely with a beneficial outcome through rigorous clinical trials, clinicians should remain focused on modifying proven risk factors.
