title: Analysis of plasma homocysteine levels in patients with unstable angina.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the prevalence of hyperhomocystinemia in patients with acute ischemic syndrome of the unstable angina type.
  
  
  METHODS
  We prospectively studied 46 patients (24 females) with unstable angina and 46 control patients (19 males), paired by sex and age, blinded to the laboratory data. Details of diets, smoking habits, medication used, body mass index, and the presence of hypertension and diabetes were recorded, as were plasma lipid and glucose levels, C-reactive protein, and lipoperoxidation in all participants. Patients with renal disease were excluded. Plasma homocysteine was estimated using high-pressure liquid chromatography.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Plasma homocysteine levels were significantly higher in the group of patients with unstable angina (12.7+/-6.7 micromol/L) than in the control group (8.7+/-4.4 micromol/L) (p<0.05). Among males, homocystinemia was higher in the group with unstable angina than in the control group, but this difference was not statistically significant (14.1+/-5.9 micromol/L versus 11.9+/-4.2 micromol/L). Among females, however, a statistically significant difference was observed between the 2 groups: 11.0+/-7.4 micromol/L versus 6.4+/-2.9 micromol/L (p<0.05) in the unstable angina and control groups, respectively. Approximately 24% of the patients had unstable angina at homocysteine levels above 15 micromol/L.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  High homocysteine levels seem to be a relevant prevalent factor in the population with unstable angina, particularly among females.
authors.affiliation: Universidade Federal de Sao Paulo, Brazil. jrtavares@directnet.com.br
authors.forename: José Roberto
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Tavares
authors.forename: Vânia
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: D'Almeida
authors.forename: Daniela C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Diniz
authors.forename: Carolina A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Terzi
authors.forename: Edison N
authors.initials: EN
authors.lastname: Cruz
authors.forename: Edson
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Stefanini
authors.forename: Adagmar
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Andriollo
authors.forename: Angelo A V de
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Paola
authors.forename: Antonio C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Carvalho
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000789:Angina, Unstable / Q000097:blood* / Q000209:etiology; D001938:Brazil; D005260:Female; D006710:Homocysteine / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D016037:Single-Blind Method; D013577:Syndrome
chemical_list: D006710:Homocysteine