Are plasma homocysteine levels related to neurological severity and functional outcome after ischemic stroke in the Korean population?
Hyperhomocysteinemia is known to be an independent risk factor for arteriosclerosis. However, the prognosis of functional disability in cerebrovascular disease has not been well established. Therefore, we conducted this study to determine the prognostic significance of plasma homocysteine (Hcy) levels in Asian patients with functional disabilities after acute ischemic stroke. A total of 267 patients were examined within 24 h after symptom onset. Hcy was measured at admission. The correlations between plasma Hcy concentration and functional disability at 1-month, 3-months, 6-months, and 12-months after stroke onset were analyzed. In addition, the associations between each risk factor for stroke or neurological severity and plasma Hcy level were evaluated. The results of the present study showed that there was no significant correlation between Hcy level on admission and modified Rankin Scale score obtained at 1-month, 3-months, 6-months, and 12-months after stroke onset. There was also no association between plasma Hcy level and neurological severity after stroke or stroke subtype. This study showed that there is no association between Hcy levels and functional outcome after stroke. Therefore, we cautiously assert that plasma Hcy levels have no value as predictors of functional disability in Asian patients with stroke.
Song
In-Uk
IU
Department of Neurology, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
Kim
Joong-Seok
JS
Ryu
Seon-Young
SY
Lee
Sang-Bong
SB
Lee
Seung-Jae
SJ
Jeong
Du-Shin
DS
Kim
Yeong-In
YI
Lee
Kwang-Soo
KS
D000368:Aged; D002545:Brain Ischemia / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D006710:Homocysteine / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D007723:Korea / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D015233:Models, Statistical; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D011379:Prognosis; D012307:Risk Factors; D020521:Stroke / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology*
D006710:Homocysteine