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Homocysteine and progression of coronary artery disease

Elzbieta Skibińska1, Robert Sawicki, Anna Lewczuk

  • 1Department of Cardiology, Medical Academy, Białystok, Poland.

Kardiologia Polska
|May 25, 2004
PubMed

Insights

Elevated homocysteine (Hcy) levels are linked to coronary artery disease (CAD) progression, especially in diabetic patients. Lower folic acid and vitamin B12 levels correlate with higher Hcy, indicating a significant association with cardiovascular disease risk.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiovascular Medicine
  • Clinical Biochemistry
  • Nutritional Science

Background:

  • Hyperhomocysteinemia is an emerging risk factor for coronary artery disease (CAD), though its role in atherosclerosis remains debated.
  • Understanding the relationship between homocysteine levels and cardiovascular health is crucial for risk stratification.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To measure plasma homocysteine (Hcy) concentrations in patients diagnosed with CAD.
  • To investigate the correlation between Hcy levels and established cardiovascular risk factors.

Main Methods:

  • The study included 150 male patients under 55 with stable CAD.
  • Assessed lipid/carbohydrate profiles, Hcy, folic acid, and vitamin B12.
  • Correlated these with smoking, hypertension, obesity, and prior myocardial infarction.

Main Results:

  • Mean Hcy was 11.81+/-3.75 micro mol/L.
  • Higher Hcy correlated with lower folic acid/vitamin B12, reduced ejection fraction/glomerular filtration rate, increased creatinine, older age, smoking, and more affected coronary arteries.
  • Hcy levels were significantly higher in patients with three-vessel CAD and in diabetic patients with increasing CAD severity.

Conclusions:

  • Plasma homocysteine concentration shows a significant association with the incidence and progression of CAD.
  • This link is particularly pronounced in diabetic patients, highlighting Hcy as a critical marker in this population.
Abstract

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