title: Serum homocysteine concentration as an indicator of survival in patients with acute coronary syndromes.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Circulating homocysteine levels are predictive of survival in patients with stable coronary artery disease. The prognostic value of serum homocysteine levels, obtained in the acute phase in patients with myocardial infarction or unstable angina, is unknown.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To test the hypothesis that circulating homocysteine levels, obtained during the first 24 hours following hospital admission in patients with acute coronary syndromes, are predictive of long-term mortality.
  
  
  METHODS
  To test this hypothesis we performed a prospective inception cohort study at a teaching hospital in Gothenburg, Sweden. A total of 579 patients (179 women and 400 men; median age, 67 years) were included (Q-wave myocardial infarction in 163 patients, non-Q-wave myocardial infarction in 210 patients, unstable angina pectoris in 206 patients).
  
  
  METHODS
  All-cause mortality.
  
  
  RESULTS
  During a median follow-up of 628 days, 65 patients died. The serum homocysteine level (mean [SD]) was significantly lower in long-term survivors (n = 514) than in nonsurvivors (n=65) (12.3 [7.0] vs 14.3 [5.9] pmol/L; P=.003). The relative risk (all-cause mortality) for patients with homocysteine levels in the upper quartile was 2.4 (95% confidence interval, 1.5-4.0) compared with that of patients in the 3 lower quartiles. After adjustment for relevant confounders, the relative risk estimate remained significant (relative risk= 1.69; 95% confidence interval, 1.02-2.80). In a stepwise model the homocysteine level provided prognostic information additional to that of patient age, diabetes mellitus, and diuretic usage prior to hospital admission (P=.03).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The serum homocysteine level on hospital admission is an independent predictor of long-term survival in patients with acute coronary syndromes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Ullevål University Hospital, Oslo, Norway.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Omland
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Samuelsson
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hartford
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Herlitz
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Karlsson
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Christensen
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Caidahl
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000368:Aged; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000097:blood* / Q000401:mortality*; D005260:Female; D006710:Homocysteine / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D010343:Patient Admission; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011379:Prognosis; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012306:Risk; D016019:Survival Analysis; D013548:Sweden
chemical_list: D006710:Homocysteine