title: Plasma homocysteine levels in patients with isolated coronary artery ectasia.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Hyperhomocysteinemia is recognized as an independent risk factor for arterial disease including coronary artery disease, cerebrovascular disease and peripheral vascular disease. Previously, an association between increased plasma homocysteine level and peripheral arterial aneurysms has been reported. However, the relationship between coronary artery ectasia (CAE) and plasma homocysteine level has not been investigated. Accordingly, this study was designed to investigate plasma homocysteine level in patients with isolated CAE.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty-two patients with isolated CAE without significant stenosis and 30 control subjects with angiographically normal coronary arteries were included in this study. Fasting plasma homocysteine concentrations were measured by Fluorescence Polarization Immunoassay method using homocysteine kids. Hyperhomocysteinemia is defined as plasma homocysteine levels above the 95th percentile of the control subjects (13.6 mumol/l).
  
  
  RESULTS
  According to the definition of hyperhomocysteinemia, 19 (59%) of patients with isolated CAE had elevated levels of plasma homocysteine compared to 2 (7%) in the control subjects with angiographically normal coronary arteries (p<0.001). In addition, patients with isolated CAE had significantly higher levels of plasma homocysteine compared to control subjects (14.9+/-4.5 micromol/l vs. 8.6+/-1.9 micromol/l respectively, p<0.001). Besides, we detected a significant positive correlation between the number of ectasic segment and plasma homocysteine level (r=0.537, p=0.002).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We have shown for the first time an association between elevated plasma homocysteine level and isolated CAE. Larger prospective studies are needed to confirm the role of hyperhomocysteinemia in CAE and to evaluate the usefulness of homocysteine-lowering therapies.
authors.affiliation: Inonu University, Medical Faculty, Department of Cardiology, 06520 Malatya, Turkey. drhturhan@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Hasan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Turhan
authors.forename: Ali Riza
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Erbay
authors.forename: Ayse Saatci
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Yasar
authors.forename: Asuman
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bicer
authors.forename: Onur
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Sahin
authors.forename: Nurcan
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Basar
authors.forename: Ertan
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Yetkin
mesh_terms: D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D017023:Coronary Angiography; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000097:blood* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D004108:Dilatation, Pathologic / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D005492:Folic Acid / Q000097:blood; D006710:Homocysteine / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D020138:Hyperhomocysteinemia / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D014805:Vitamin B 12 / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D006710:Homocysteine; D005492:Folic Acid; D014805:Vitamin B 12