Association between homocysteine levels and arterial stiffness in women with systemic sclerosis

The purpose of this study was to evaluate homocysteine (Hcy) serum levels in women with systemic sclerosis (SSc) compared with healthy controls and to examine possible associations between Hcy and markers of arterial stiffness.

A cross-sectional study was performed at a single hospital between November 2017 and May 2019: 62 women with SSc and 62 age- and sex-matched healthy controls were enrolled. Pulse wave velocity (PWV) was measured non-invasively along the carotid-femoral arterial segment. Serum Hcy was analysed using immunonephelo-metric method.

There was a significant difference in Hcy serum levels between SSc female patients and healthy controls (11.9±3.3 vs. 10.3±2.3 μmol/ml, p=0.002). Serum levels of Hcy were positively correlated with PWV (r=0.28, p<0.05), brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) (r=0.36, p<0.05) and disease duration (r=0.38, p<0.05), within the SSc group. In addition, in the linear regression model, higher Hcy concentrations were associated with higher PWV [β=0.74 95% CI (0.085, 1.394); p=0.027], BNP [β=0.04 95% CI (0.014, 0.072); p=0.004] and disease duration [β=0.18 95% CI (0.070, 0.300); p=0.002]. In multiple linear regression model adjusting for covariants, Hcy remained positively related to the PWV [β=0.033 95% CI (0.003, 0.062); p=0.031].

Our findings revealed a positive correlation between Hcy serum levels and PWV, which indicates that high levels of Hcy may predispose to the development of vascular stiffness in patients with SSc.