title: Homocysteine and its relationship to stroke subtypes in a UK black population: the south London ethnicity and stroke study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Homocysteine is an endothelial toxin and elevated levels have been associated with stroke risk. Stroke, particularly the small vessel disease (SVD) subtype, is increased in U.S. and UK black populations. In white populations elevated homocysteine has been associated with SVD, especially confluent leukoaraiosis, and may be acting through endothelial dysfunction. We determined the association between homocysteine and stroke subtypes, especially SVD, in a well-phenotyped UK cohort of black stroke patients compared to community controls.
  
  
  METHODS
  Homocysteine, vitamin B12, folate levels, and renal function were measured in 457 black stroke patients recruited consecutively through the prospective South London Ethnicity and Stroke Study and 179 black community controls. All patients were subtyped using modified TOAST criteria. Leukoaraiosis in SVD patients was graded according to severity, and patients were additionally categorized on the basis of presence or absence of confluent leukoaraiosis. Odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The highest homocysteine levels were seen in SVD patients compared to controls (16.2 [11.6] versus 11.8 [5.7] mumol/L, P<0.001) after adjusting for age, gender, vascular risk factors, vitamin levels, and renal function. Within SVD cases, highest homocysteine levels were found in lacunar infarction with confluent leukoaraiosis (19.6 [14.9] mumol/L) compared to lacunar infarction without leukoaraiosis (13.6 [7.1] mumol/L, P=0.001) and controls (P<0.001). Homocysteine correlated with leukoaraiosis severity (r=0.225, P<0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In this well characterized UK black stroke population homocysteine levels were elevated and highest levels were found in lacunar stroke with leukoaraiosis.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Clinical Neuroscience, St. George's University of London, London, UK.
authors.forename: Usman
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Khan
authors.forename: Carollyn
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Crossley
authors.forename: Lalit
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Kalra
authors.forename: Anthony
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rudd
authors.forename: Charles D A
authors.initials: CD
authors.lastname: Wolfe
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Collinson
authors.forename: Hugh S
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Markus