title: Mild hyperhomocysteinaemia is associated with increased aortic stiffness in general population.
abstract: Total homocysteine (tHcy) level was identified as a strong and independent predictor of cardiovascular events. We investigated the association between tHcy and mechanical properties of large arteries in a random, general population-based sample of 251 subjects (mean age 48 years). Large artery properties, such as aortic and peripheral (lower-limb) pulse wave velocity (PWV), and augmentation index of radial artery were measured using semi-automatic Sphygmocor device. Aortic PWV (APWV) positively correlated with tHcy (r = 0.28, P<0.0001), and a significant increasing trend of APWV was found by tHcy quartiles (P = 0.0003 by ANOVA). This association remained significant after adjustment for conventional cardiovascular risk factors (age, gender, smoking, overweight, hypertension, dyslipidaemia and impaired glucose metabolism) and for usual homocysteine confounders (folate, B12, renal function). Subjects with mild hyperhomocysteinaemia (i.e. with tHcy > or = 15 micromol/l) had 2.74 times higher risk of having their APWV over 8.42 m/s (i.e. in the top quartile). No such association was found either for PWV measured at lower extremity or for radial augmentation index. In conclusion, in our series of subjects from general population, we found a strong and independent relationship between homocysteine concentration and APWV, a parameter of stiffness of central arteries.
authors.affiliation: Second Department of Internal Medicine, Centre of Preventive Cardiology, Charles University, Pilsen, Czech Republic. mayerjr@lfp.cuni.cz
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Mayer
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Filipovský
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dolejsová
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Cífková
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Simon
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Bolek
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001018:Aortic Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006710:Homocysteine / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D020138:Hyperhomocysteinemia / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011159:Population Surveillance; D011673:Pulsatile Flow / Q000502:physiology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D014463:Ultrasonography; D014655:Vascular Resistance / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D006710:Homocysteine