FOLIC ACID FOR VASCULAR OUTCOME REDUCTION IN TRANSPLANTATION (FAVORIT)

本子项目是利用由NIH/NCRR资助的中心赠款提供的资源的众多研究子项目之一。子项目和研究者（PI）可能已经从另一个NIH来源获得了主要资金，因此可以在其他CRISP条目中表示。列出的机构是中心的，不一定是研究者的机构。一种叫做同型半胱氨酸的物质在所有人的血液中循环。同型半胱氨酸水平高的人比同型半胱氨酸水平正常的人更容易患心脏病和中风。膳食补充维生素，包括叶酸，可以降低血液中同型半胱氨酸的水平，但不确定这种同型半胱氨酸水平的降低是否伴随着心脏病发作和中风频率的降低。本研究的目的是确定通过补充维生素来降低同型半胱氨酸水平是否对患者有益。本研究将在成人肾移植受者中进行，随访5年。因为与一般患者相比，这一人群既有很高的循环同型半胱氨酸水平，又有较高的心脏病发作和中风发病率。因此，这项研究预计是非常安全的，并且很有可能确定降低血液循环同型半胱氨酸水平是否是合理的临床实践。该研究将包括对照组接受常规维生素补充剂和研究组接受相同的补充剂以及额外的降低同型半胱氨酸剂量的叶酸和维生素B6和B12。心脏病发作和中风的频率将在两组之间进行比较，并根据血液中同型半胱氨酸水平进行解释。

This subproject is one of many research subprojects utilizing the resources provided by a Center grant funded by NIH/NCRR. The subproject and investigator (PI) may have received primary funding from another NIH source, and thus could be represented in other CRISP entries. The institution listed is for the Center, which is not necessarily the institution for the investigator. A substance called homocysteine circulates in the blood of all people. People with elevated levels of homocysteine experience more frequent heart attacks and strokes compared with people with normal homocystine levels. Dietary supplementation with vitamins, including folic acid, can reduce blood levels of homocystine, but it is uncertain whether this reduction in homocysteine levels is accompanied by a reduction in the frequency of heart attack and stroke. The purpose of this study is to establish whether reducing homocysteine levels with dietary vitamin supplementation is beneficial in patients. This study will be undertaken in adult kidney transplant recipients who will be followed for five years. Because this population has a combination of both very high circulating homocysteine levels and an elevated incidence of heart attack and stroke compared with the general population of patients. Thus this study is predicted to be very safe and to have a high likelihood of establishing whether reduction of circulating homocysteine blood levels is a reasonable clinical practice. The study will include a control group receiving conventional vitamin supplements and a study group receiving the same supplemenets as well as additional homocysteine-lowering dosages of folic acid and vitamins B6 and B12. The frequency of heart attack and stroke will be compared between the two groups, and interpreted in light of the homocysteine blood levels.