title: Homocysteine and risk of periprocedural myocardial infarction in patients undergoing coronary stenting.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Despite improvements in pharmacological and mechanical devices, the risk of periprocedural myocardial infarction (PMI) is still high, particularly in prothrombotic conditions. Hyperhomocysteinemia has been associated with enhanced platelet function, impaired endothelial function and prothrombotic status, thus increasing the risk of cardiovascular events. No study has, so far, investigated the relationship between homocysteine levels and the risk of periprocedural MI in patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), and this is therefore the aim of the current study.
  
  
  METHODS
  In 1150 patients undergoing PCI, homocysteinemia was assessed at admission. Cardiac biomarkers were measured at intervals from 8 to 48 h after PCI. Periprocedural myonecrosis was defined by a troponin I increase to three times the upper limit of normal (ULN) or by 50% if elevated at the time of the procedure. PMI was defined as a CK-MB increase to three times the ULN or of 50% if elevated at the time of the procedure.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We grouped patients according to tertile values of homocysteine. Higher homocysteine levels were associated with older age (P < 0.001), male sex (P = 0.02), arterial hypertension (P = 0.007), diabetes (P = 0.04), renal failure (P < 0.001), higher creatinine levels (P = 0.01), previous MI (P = 0.02), previous PCI (P = 0.04) and previous cerebrovascular accidents (P = 0.01). Homocysteine was associated with lower ejection fraction (P < 0.001), treatment with angiotensin-receptor blockers (P < 0.001), nitrates (P = 0.008) and diuretics (P < 0.001) and acetylsalicylic acid (P = 0.01). Homocysteine levels were directly related with the extent of coronary disease (P = 0.04) and coronary calcifications (P < 0.001) but inversely with type C lesions (P = 0.001), TIMI 3 flow pre-PCI (P = 0.02), stenosis severity (P = 0.01) and thrombus (P = 0.004). In addition, they are associated with higher rates of balloon predilatation (P = 0.02), lower use of thrombectomy (P = 0.01) and periprocedural administration of GPIIbIIIa inhibitors (P = 0.02). Ageing, male sex, diabetes, renal failure, creatinine levels, diuretics use, coronary calcifications and type C lesions were independently related to homocysteine. Homocysteine did not affect the risk of PMI [adjusted odds ratio (OR) 1.14 (0.91-1.42), P = 0.26], or periprocedural myonecrosis [adjusted OR 1.17 (0.98-1.39), P = 0.08]. Similar results were found after propensity score adjustment [adjusted OR 1.19 (0.95-1.48), P = 0.14 for PMI and adjusted OR 1.18 (0.99-1.4), P = 0.07 for myonecrosis] and at subgroup analysis in higher risk subsets of patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In patients undergoing PCI, the risk of PMI is not influenced by hyperhomocysteinemia.
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardiology, Azienda Ospedaliera-Universitaria 'Maggiore della Carità', Eastern Piedmont University, Novara, Italy.
authors.forename: Monica
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Verdoia
authors.forename: Alon
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Schaffer
authors.forename: Lucia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Barbieri
authors.forename: Ettore
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Cassetti
authors.forename: Gabriella
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Di Giovine
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Marino
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: De Luca
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006710:Homocysteine / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D020138:Hyperhomocysteinemia / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology*; D062645:Percutaneous Coronary Intervention / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000379:methods; D012307:Risk Factors; D015607:Stents
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D006710:Homocysteine