Related Experiment Videos
Plasma homocysteine and severity of thoracic aortic atherosclerosis
C M Tribouilloy1, M Peltier, M C Iannetta Peltier
1Department of Cardiology, South Hospital, University of Picardie, Amiens, France.
Insights
Elevated plasma homocysteine levels are associated with the severity of thoracic aortic atherosclerosis. This finding highlights homocysteine
Area of Science:
- Cardiovascular Medicine
- Atherosclerosis Research
- Clinical Biochemistry
Background:
- Plasma homocysteine is a known risk factor for cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events.
- Limited data exist on the association between homocysteine and thoracic aortic atherosclerosis severity.
- Multiplane transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) allows detailed assessment of the thoracic aorta.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate whether plasma homocysteine levels correlate with the presence and severity of thoracic aortic atherosclerosis.
- To determine if homocysteine is an independent predictor of thoracic aortic atherosclerosis.
Main Methods:
- Prospective, cross-sectional study conducted at a university hospital.
- 82 valvular patients underwent TEE and assessment of risk factors.
- Plasma homocysteine, vitamin B12, and folic acid levels were measured.
Main Results:
- Homocysteine levels positively correlated with the severity score of thoracic atherosclerosis (r=0.48, p=0.0001).
- Homocysteine levels also correlated with the grades of aortic intimal changes (p=0.0008).
- Multivariate analysis confirmed homocysteine as an independent predictor of thoracic aortic atherosclerosis presence and severity.
Conclusions:
- Plasma homocysteine level serves as a marker for the severity of thoracic atherosclerosis.
- These findings underscore homocysteine's role in atherosclerotic lesions across major arteries.
Study Objectives:
Plasma homocysteine level is a risk factor for coronary events, stroke, and peripheral atherosclerotic disease. However, few data are available concerning the relationship between homocysteine level and severity of thoracic aortic atherosclerosis. We hypothesized in this multiplane transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) study that homocysteine level is a marker of the presence and severity of thoracic aortic atherosclerosis.
Design:
Cross-sectional study.
Setting:
University hospital.
Patients:
Risk factors, angiographic features, and TEE findings were analyzed prospectively in 82 valvular patients.
Measurements And Results:
The following risk factors were recorded: age, gender, hypertension, smoking, lipid parameters, diabetes, body mass index, and family history of coronary artery disease. Plasma levels of homocysteine, vitamin B(12), and folic acid were measured for each patient. By univariate analysis, age, diabetes, hypertension, smoking, family history of coronary artery disease, and levels of homocysteine, total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol were significant predictors of the presence of thoracic aortic plaques. There was a positive correlation between the plasma homocysteine levels and the score of severity of thoracic atherosclerosis (r = 0.48; p = 0.0001) as well as between the homocysteine levels and the grades of severity of aortic intimal changes (p = 0.0008). Multivariate regression analysis revealed that homocysteine was an independent predictor of the presence and severity of thoracic aortic atherosclerosis.
Conclusion:
This prospective study indicates that plasma homocysteine level is a marker of severity of thoracic atherosclerosis detected by multiplane TEE. These findings emphasize the role of homocysteine as a marker of atherosclerotic lesions in the major arterial locations.