title: Homocysteine Slovakia study: study design and occurrence of hyperhomocysteinaemia and other risk factors.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Slovakia belong to the European Union countries with the high incidence and prevalence of cardiovascular diseases in general and IHD in particular.
  
  
  METHODS
  Homocystein-Slovakia is crossectional population study realised in subjects in high risk age 35-75 years in two groups. The first consists of patients with verified stable ischemic heart disease (IHD) (M= 152; F = 167) aged 60.8±9.37 yrs (males) res. 63.1±7.56 years (females) (NS) who were randomly selected from two cardiological registrars. Second population was formed by general population who were dichotomised according their medical records into IHD patients (M= 31, F= 53) and apparently healthy controls (M= 47; F = 55), the later in significantly younger age as patients, but in same age for intergender comparison 49.6±10.3 vs 46.6±9.2 yrs (NS).
  
  
  RESULTS
  We found very high prevalence of classic as well as newer risk factors and risk markers both in IHD patients and in controls. Increased homocysteinen (Hcy >15 µmo/l for males and Hcy >13 µmo/l for females) was found even in 32.9 % of patients and 13.6 % of controls (p<0.001). Comparison of regulating vitamins levels between IHD patients and controls demonstrated similar prevalence.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Homocystein Slovakia study found very high prevalence of hyperhomocysteinemia in patients with stable ischemic heart disease. Even the prevalence in healthy controls correspond to data reported for MI patients in Western countries. Vitamins regulating metabolism of homocysteine also shown high prevalence, however, without differences between IHD patients and controls (Tab. 5, Fig. 1, Ref. 27).
authors.affiliation: 2nd Department of Internal Medicine, Comenius University, Bratislava, Slovakia. jan.lietava@yahoo.com
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lietava
authors.forename: B Vohnout
authors.initials: BV
authors.lastname: B
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dukat
authors.forename: G J
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Fodor
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006439:Hemodynamics; D006710:Homocysteine / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D020138:Hyperhomocysteinemia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017202:Myocardial Ischemia / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology; D012307:Risk Factors; D018154:Slovakia / Q000453:epidemiology; D014815:Vitamins / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D008055:Lipids; D014815:Vitamins; D006710:Homocysteine