Moderate hyperhomocysteinaemia and vascular disease: evidence, relevance and the effect of treatment.
Convincing evidence of moderate hyperhomocysteinaemia as a risk factor for vascular disease has accumulated within the last decade being independent of conventional risk factors and equally strong as hypercholesterolaemia and smoking. A synergistic interaction with hypertension and smoking in their joint arteriosclerotic effect in patients is demonstrated which makes the result of homocysteine-lowering intervention very promising, especially in those vascular patients with an association of these risk factors.


CONCLUSIONS
Despite the proven homocysteine-lowering effect of intervention with sample, safe, and cheap vitamin regimen, no data are so far available on the clinical outcome of such treatment. Clinical trials to demonstrate a hopefully beneficial result of homocysteine reduction are urgently needed.
Boers
G
G
Department of General Internal Medicine, University Hospital Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
D001157:Arterial Occlusive Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000517:prevention & control; D001161:Arteriosclerosis / Q000097:blood / Q000517:prevention & control; D006710:Homocysteine / Q000097:blood*; D006712:Homocystinuria / Q000150:complications*; D006801:Humans; D016017:Odds Ratio; D012307:Risk Factors; D012907:Smoking / Q000097:blood; D013927:Thrombosis / Q000097:blood / Q000517:prevention & control; D014652:Vascular Diseases / Q000097:blood* / Q000517:prevention & control
D006710:Homocysteine