Plasma homocysteine concentration and coronary artery disease in Asian Indians.
OBJECTIVE
This study was done (a) to evaluate the relationship between the plasma total homocysteine (tHcy) levels and coronary artery disease (CAD) in Asian Indians and (b) to see the relationship between tHcy and glucose intolerance.


METHODS
Fasting concentrations of plasma tHcy was measured in 137 men, aged > or = 25 years who underwent coronary angiography while investigating for chest pain. Among them 71 had no CAD and 66 had CAD. Fasting plasma glucose (FPG) and glycosylated haemoglobin (HbA1c) were estimated. Total Hcy was measured using the Elisa method (Axis Biochemicals ASA-Oslo, Norway) in fasting EDTA plasma.


RESULTS
The subjects with CAD were significantly older but had similar body mass index (BMI), waist-hip ratio (WHR), FPG and HbA1c values compared with the non-CAD subjects (P < 0.001). The median tHcy and the percentages of abnormal values were similar in non-CAD and CAD groups. No significant differences were seen in the four subgroups with respect to the mean tHcy or the percentage of abnormal values. The highest tHcy values were seen in the non-diabetic, non-CAD group (group 1--control).


CONCLUSIONS
This preliminary data indicates that tHcy concentrations are not elevated in subjects with CAD and probably there is no association between total homocysteine and CAD in Indians. Homocysteine values were not influenced by the glucose tolerance status. Measurement of homocysteine concentrations may be more appropriate when the blood levels of vitamin B12 and folate are also measured.
Snehalatha
C
C
Diabetes Research Centre, 4 Main Road, Royapuram, Madras 600 013, India.
Ramachandran
A
A
Satyavani
K
K
Sivasankari
S
S
Sathyamurthy
I
I
Viswanathan
V
V
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000032:analysis; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000453:epidemiology; D018149:Glucose Intolerance / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D005951:Glucose Tolerance Test; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin / Q000032:analysis*; D006710:Homocysteine / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007194:India / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011336:Probability; D012016:Reference Values; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012720:Severity of Illness Index
D015415:Biomarkers; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin; D006710:Homocysteine