Association of homocysteine with traditional and non-traditional risk factors in patients with atherosclerotic vascular disease.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the association between total homocysteine (tHcy) and traditional and nontraditional risk factors in patients with atherosclerotic vascular disease (ASVD).


METHODS
This cross-sectional study included 99 ASVD patients and 40 control subjects in whom we determined lipid profile, high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP), uric acid (UA) and tHcy.


RESULTS
The median tHcy concentration was significantly higher in ASVD group compared to the controls ((18.7(13.65-24.45) vs. 11.48 (10.03-14.2) micromol/L (p < 0.001)). Mean serum cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels (LDLc) and atherogenic index were significantly lower, while mean serum UA concentration was significantly higher in hyperhomocysteinemic compared to normohomocysteinemic ASVD patients and control subjects. In hyperhomocysteinemic ASVD patients a significant negative correlation between serum logtHcy and cholesterol (r = -0.32), LDLc (r = -0.24), very-low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (VLDLc) (r = -0.295) and atherogenic index (r = -0.25) was observed. In normo-homocysteinemic ASVD patients serum logtHcy was significantly positively correlated with UA (r = 0.46) and hsCRP (r = 0.383). Multivariate linear regression analysis revealed that serum logtHcy was independently positively associated only with UA in normohomocysteinemic ASVD patients.


CONCLUSIONS
The results of our study have shown that the association between tHcy and traditional and non-traditional risk factors depends on tHcy serum level. It was observed a negative association between serum tHcy and lipids in hyperhomocysteinemic ASVD patients. On the other hand, in ASVD patients with serum tHcy levels within the reference range a positive independent association between serum tHcy and UA might reflect an underlying elevated tension of redox stress.
Department of Medical Biochemistry, Medical Faculty, University of Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina. eminacengic@hotmail.com
Emina
E
Kiseljaković
Amina
A
Valjevac
Sabaheta
S
Hasić
Emina
E
Nakas-Ićindić
Alen
A
Dzubur
Radivoj
R
Jadrić
D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000097:blood* / Q000209:etiology; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000032:analysis; D005260:Female; D006710:Homocysteine / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors; D014527:Uric Acid / Q000097:blood
D008055:Lipids; D006710:Homocysteine; D014527:Uric Acid; D002097:C-Reactive Protein