title: Effect of acute hyperhomocysteinemia on coronary flow reserve in healthy adults.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  B-mode ultrasound studies indicate that hyperhomocysteinemia is associated with preclinical structural and functional arterial abnormalities. This study was designed to evaluate the effect of elevated plasma homocysteine levels on coronary flow reserve (CFR).
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 20 healthy subjects aged 41 +/- 7 years were studied on 2 separate days, a week apart, before and after methionine load (100 mg/kg of body weight) or placebo in a double-blind crossover study. At each visit, homocysteine levels were measured by high performance liquid chromatography and CFR was determined by transthoracic Doppler echocardiography.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After methionine load, plasma homocysteine increased from 10.7 +/- 2.8 mumol/L to 30.4 +/- 5.1 mumol/L ( P < .0001) and CFR decreased from 3.0 +/- 0.4 to 2.3 +/- 0.3 ( P < .001). CFR was inversely related to postload homocysteine levels ( r = -0.21, P = .02). After placebo, there was no change in CFR.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In asymptomatic adults, acute hyperhomocysteinemia is associated with a significant reduction in CFR.
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardiology and Clinical Analysis Laboratory, S. Maria di Loreto Hospital, Naples, Italy. luigi.ascione20@tin.it
authors.forename: Luigi
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ascione
authors.forename: Mario
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: De Michele
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Accadia
authors.forename: Salvatore
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rumolo
authors.forename: Cosimo
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Sacra
authors.forename: Vittoria
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Alberta Ortali
authors.forename: Luciano
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Inserviente
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Petti
authors.forename: Giovanna
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Russo
authors.forename: Bernardino
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Tuccillo
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000328:Adult; D001783:Blood Flow Velocity / Q000187:drug effects; D003326:Coronary Circulation / Q000187:drug effects*; D003331:Coronary Vessels / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000187:drug effects*; D018592:Cross-Over Studies; D015150:Echocardiography, Doppler; D005260:Female; D006710:Homocysteine / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D020138:Hyperhomocysteinemia / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D008715:Methionine / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000097:blood / Q000494:pharmacology; D010919:Placebos
chemical_list: D010919:Placebos; D006710:Homocysteine; D008715:Methionine