title: [Hyperhomocysteinemia as a risk factor for coronary atherosclerotic diseases in the elderly].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate whether hyperhomocysteinemia is an independent risk factor for atherosclerotic disease in elderly individuals.
  
  
  METHODS
  A case-control study with 172 elderly individuals, 88 belonging to control group and 84 to case group, who showed coronary angiography requested for clinical indications. Quantitative coronary angiography was performed in 91% of the patients. Homocysteinemia was assessed in a continuous and categorized way, through univariate and multivariate analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  When analyzed continuously, in univariate analysis, it was verified that case group elderly individuals showed an average homocysteinemia levels significantly higher than the control group individuals' (14.33 +/- 4.59 micromol/l against 11.99 +/- 4.59 micromol/l, p = 0.015). In multivariate analysis, continuous homocysteinemia was associated to the risk rate for coronary artery disease of 1.07 for each 1 micromol/l increase of homocysteine level. Na increase of 5 micromol/l corresponded to the risk rate of 1.40. When analyzed in categorized way, the values found over percentile 75 of control group (14 micromol/l) were defined as hyperhomocysteinemia. Hyperhomocysteinemia was found in 34% of elderly individuals, being 37.3% in control group and 62.7% in case group (p = 0.009). In multivariate analysis, hyperhomocysteinemia constituted an independent risk factor for coronary atherosclerotic disease for elderly individuals, with a risk rate for coronary artery disease of 2.03, confidence interval 95%, 1.02-4.03.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Hyperhomocysteinemia was an independent risk factor for coronary artery disease in elderly individuals.
authors.affiliation: Instituto Dante Pazzanese de Cardiologia, São Paulo, SP. clau-gravina@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Claudia Felícia
authors.initials: CF
authors.lastname: Gravina-Taddei
authors.forename: Michel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Batlouni
authors.forename: Camila
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Sarteschi
authors.forename: Valéria T
authors.initials: VT
authors.lastname: Baltar
authors.forename: Nívea A C
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Salvarini
authors.forename: Marcelo C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Bertolami
authors.forename: José Eduardo M R
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Sousa
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001938:Brazil; D017023:Coronary Angiography; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology*; D004812:Epidemiologic Methods; D005260:Female; D006710:Homocysteine / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D020138:Hyperhomocysteinemia / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications*; D008297:Male; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects
chemical_list: D006710:Homocysteine