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Published on: March 29, 2024
Homocysteine in Chronic Heart Failure
Insights
Hyperhomocysteinemia (HHcy) is common in chronic heart failure (CHF) patients and predicts mortality. Elevated homocysteine (Hcy) levels indicate a higher risk of death within five years.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Biochemistry
- Clinical Medicine
Background:
- Hyperhomocysteinemia (HHcy) is a known cardiovascular disease risk factor.
- Homocysteine (Hcy) generates reactive oxygen species, contributing to oxidative stress and chronic heart failure (CHF) progression.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the predictive value of plasma homocysteine (Hcy) levels in patients with chronic heart failure (CHF).
- To investigate the relationship between Hcy levels and other clinical markers in CHF patients.
Main Methods:
- 134 adult CHF patients underwent echocardiography, 6-min walk test, and VO(2max) determination.
- Serum Hcy levels and other markers were measured, with clinical follow-up at five years.
Main Results:
- CHF patients exhibited markedly elevated Hcy levels (18.4 ± 7.83 μmol/L) compared to controls (12.8 ± 3.14 μmol/L).
- Hcy correlated negatively with VO(2max) and positively with BNP. Patients with HHcy > 15 μmol/L had significantly lower 5-year survival rates (35% vs. 56%).
- HHcy and hs-CRP were identified as independent predictors of 5-year mortality.
Conclusions:
- HHcy is prevalent in CHF patients and significantly associated with increased 5-year mortality risk.
- Homocysteine (Hcy) can serve as an additional clinical risk marker for CHF patients, aiding in risk stratification and management.
Background:
Hyperhomocysteinemia (HHcy) is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Homocysteine (Hcy) can generate reactive oxygen species. Oxidative stress enhances the progression of cardiovascular diseases and has long been implicated in chronic heart failure (CHF). This study was to evaluate the predictive value of plasma Hcy levels in CHF patients and to investigate the relationship with other markers.
Methods:
We investigated 134 adult CHF patients (males, 74%; mean age, 60.0 ± 14.8 years). Echocardiography, 6-min walk test, and determination of peak oxygen consumption (VO(2max)) were performed. Serum levels of Hcy and other markers were determined. Clinical follow-up was performed at five years.
Results:
The mean Hcy level was markedly elevated in CHF patients (18.4 ± 7.83 μmol/L) vs. control subjects (12.8 ± 3.14 μmol/L; p < 0.01), whatever the etiology of heart failure (non-ischemic, n = 74, 17.6 ± 7.8 μmol/L; ischemic, n = 60, 19.3 ± 7.8 μmol/L). Hcy correlated negatively with VO(2max) and positively with BNP. Kaplan-Meier analysis showed that CHF patients with HHcy > 15 μmol/L had a significantly lower survival rate (35% vs. 56%, log-rank p < 0.05) than those without HHcy. Cox regression revealed that HHcy and hs-CRP were the most powerful independent predictors of mortality in patients at 5 years.
Conclusions:
HHcy is common in CHF patients and is associated with an increased risk of death at 5 years. We suggest that Hcy can be used in clinical practice as an additional risk marker in CHF patients with various medications.
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