Association of plasma homocysteine in elderly persons with atherosclerotic vascular disease and dementia, atherosclerotic vascular disease without dementia, dementia without atherosclerotic vascular disease, and no dementia or atherosclerotic vascular disease.
BACKGROUND
Increased plasma homocysteine has been associated with atherosclerotic vascular disease in elderly persons. The Framingham Study found that plasma homocysteine was a risk factor for dementia and Alzheimer's disease.


METHODS
We investigated in an academic nursing home the association of plasma homocysteine with atherosclerotic vascular disease plus dementia (group 1), atherosclerotic vascular disease without dementia (group 2), dementia without atherosclerotic vascular disease (group 3), and no dementia or atherosclerotic vascular disease (group 4).


RESULTS
The mean plasma homocysteine level was 15.3 +/- 3.0 micromol/L in 50 group 1 patients, 15.1 +/- 2.7 micromol/L in 50 group 2 patients, 14.4 +/- 2.7 micromol/L in 50 group 3 patients, and 10.6 +/- 3.2 micromol/L in 50 group 4 patients (p <.0001 for group 1 vs group 4, for group 2 vs group 4, and for group 3 vs group 4).


CONCLUSIONS
The mean plasma homocysteine level was significantly higher in elderly patients with atherosclerotic vascular disease plus dementia, atherosclerotic vascular disease without dementia, and dementia without atherosclerotic vascular disease than in patients with no dementia or atherosclerotic vascular disease.
Storey
Samantha G
SG
Division of Geriatrics, Department of Medicine, Westchester Medical Center/New York Medical College, Valhalla 10595, USA.
Suryadevara
Vana
V
Aronow
Wilbert S
WS
Ahn
Chul
C
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology; D001161:Arteriosclerosis / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003704:Dementia / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis*; D005260:Female; D015577:Geriatric Assessment; D006707:Homes for the Aged; D006710:Homocysteine / Q000097:blood* / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009735:Nursing Homes; D011336:Probability; D011379:Prognosis; D012016:Reference Values; D012307:Risk Factors; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D014652:Vascular Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis
D015415:Biomarkers; D006710:Homocysteine