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Elevated plasma homocysteine levels in patients with isolated coronary artery ectasia
Feridun Kosar1, Isa Sincer, Yuksel Aksoy
1Department of Cardiology, Inonu University, Turgut Ozal Medical Center, Malatya, Turkey. mferidunkosar@hotmail.com
Insights
Patients with coronary artery ectasia (CAE) and coronary artery disease (CAD) exhibit elevated plasma homocysteine levels. This suggests hyperhomocysteinemia may contribute to the development of CAE, similar to its role in CAD.
Area of Science:
- Cardiovascular Medicine
- Biochemistry
Background:
- Coronary artery ectasia (CAE) is a variation of coronary atherosclerosis.
- Hyperhomocysteinemia is a recognized independent risk factor for cardiovascular diseases.
Purpose of the Study:
- To measure plasma hyperhomocysteine levels in patients with CAE.
- To compare these levels in patients with CAE, coronary artery disease (CAD), and healthy controls.
Main Methods:
- Plasma hyperhomocysteine levels were assessed using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.
- Study groups included 37 CAE patients, 36 CAD patients, and 32 controls with normal coronary angiograms.
Main Results:
- Patients with CAE and CAD showed significantly higher plasma homocysteine levels than controls (P<0.001).
- No significant difference in homocysteine levels was observed between the CAE and CAD groups (P>0.05).
Conclusions:
- Elevated plasma hyperhomocysteine is evident in both CAE and CAD patients compared to controls.
- Hyperhomocysteinemia may be implicated in the pathogenesis of coronary artery ectasia, mirroring its role in coronary artery disease.
Objective:
Coronary artery ectasia is a variant of coronary atherosclerosis. Hyperhomocysteinemia has emerged as a major, independent risk factor for cardiovascular diseases. The purposes of this study were to determine plasma hyperhomocysteine levels in patients with coronary artery ectasia, and to compare patients with coronary artery ectasia, coronary artery disease, and controls with normal coronary angiogram.
Method:
The study population included 37 patients with coronary artery ectasia and 36 patients with coronary artery disease. The control group consisted of 32 patients with angiographically proven normal coronary arteries. Plasma hyperhomocysteine levels were measured in all study patients with an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.
Results:
Plasma homocysteine levels were significantly higher in patients with both coronary artery ectasia and coronary artery disease than in the controls (14.8+/-1.1 and 15.9+/-0.8 vs. 2.5+/-0.6 micromol/l; P<0.001 and P<0.001, respectively). No significant differences in plasma homocysteine levels were found among CAE and CAD groups (P>0.05).
Conclusions:
We have demonstrated that patients with coronary artery ectasia and coronary artery disease have increased plasma hyperhomocysteine levels compared with the controls. These findings suggest that hyperhomocysteinemia may play an important role in the pathogenesis of coronary artery ectasia as in coronary artery disease.
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