title: [Correlation between plasma level of homocysteine and cerebral large-artery atherosclerosis].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To identify whether high level of plasma homocysteine is an independent risk factor for potential cerebral large-artery atherosclerotic stenosis determined by digital subtraction angiography (DSA) in patients with ischemic stroke.
  
  
  METHODS
  276 adult patients with ischemic stroke experienced DSA were selected, and 224 patients with potential large-artery atherosclerotic stenosis (grade > 50%, not less than one of vascular) and 52 controls without stenosis or mild grade (grade < or = 50%) were included. Plasma homocysteine level was analyzed and conventional risk factors of cerebral stroke such as sex and age, hypertension, diabetes, long-smoking, long-alcohol and plasma levels of triglyceride, high-density lipoprotein, low-density lipoprotein was evaluated in 276 subjects.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The proportion of subjects with high level of plasma homocysteine (> 15 micromol/L) was significantly higher in patients with potential atherosclerotic stenosis than those without (38.8% versus 15.4%; OR 3.49, 95% CI 1.57 - 7.77, P = 0.001). Based on multivariable stepwise logistic regression model, the odds ratio of homocysteine levels was 4.10 (95% CI 1.80 - 9.32, P = 0.001) with additional adjustment for conventional risk factors. The effect of homocysteine was more pronounced in the presence of hypertension (OR = 4.89), old age (OR = 4.79) and low level of plasma high density lipoprotein (OR = 10.46).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  It is suggested that high level of plasma homocysteine is an independent risk factor for cerebral large-artery atherosclerosis. The effect of homocysteine is more pronounced in the presence of other risk factors of ischemic stroke.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Capital University of Medical Science, Beijing 100050, China. guihongw@126.com
authors.forename: Gui-hong
authors.initials: GH
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Yong-jun
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Yao
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: He
authors.forename: Wei-jian
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.forename: Bin
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Du
authors.forename: Min
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Jin
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D015901:Angiography, Digital Subtraction; D005260:Female; D006710:Homocysteine / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D002537:Intracranial Arteriosclerosis / Q000097:blood* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D006710:Homocysteine