title: Prevalence of Elevated Serum Homocysteine and Serum Lipoprotein 'a' in Women.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Recent studies indicate that the risk of coronary artery disease (CAD) in women is no less than that in men and menopausal women are equally vulnerable as men. Studies of recent risk factors like hyperhomocysteinemia and elevation in lipoprotein (a) reveal controversial role of the same. This study hence is an attempt to study the prevalence of these factors in women and their correlation with lipid profile.
  
  
  METHODS
  Two hundred women were enrolled in the study- 100 premenopausal women (21-45y) and 100 menopausal (50-55y). All the subjects were screened for homocysteine by ELISA and lipoprotein (a) and lipid profile by automation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Prevalence of hyperhomocysteinemia was 52% and 62% in premenopausal and menopausal women respectively. A significant positive correlation was seen for total cholesterol and triacylglycerol with serum Homocysteine in premenopausal women while pronounced positive correlation for serum cholesterol with serum Homocysteine in menopausal women. The prevalence of elevated lipoprotein (a) was 42% and 45% in premenopausal and menopausal women respectively. There was no correlation between lipoprotein (a) and lipid profile in both groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The findings of the study conclude that premenopausal and menopausal women constitute a subpopulation where recent risk factors like hyperhomocysteinemia and elevated lipoprotein(a) could be assessed along with lipid profile as screening tests to identify the risk of CAD. This would help in proper counselling of the concerned women and minimize the risk.
authors.affiliation: Professor and Head, Department of Biochemistry, MIMER Medical College , Talegaon Dabhade, Pune, India .
authors.forename: Alka N
authors.initials: AN
authors.lastname: Sontakke
authors.affiliation: Professor and Head, Department of Biochemistry, Dr D Y Patil Medical College Pimpri , Pune, India .
authors.forename: Mona A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Tilak
authors.affiliation: Associate Professor, Department of Biochemistry, MIMER Medical College , Talegaon Dabhade, Pune, India .
authors.forename: Vaishali V
authors.initials: VV
authors.lastname: Dhat
authors.affiliation: Professor, Department of Biochemistry, Dr D Y Patil Medical College Pimpri , Pune, India .
authors.forename: Umesh M
authors.initials: UM
authors.lastname: More
authors.affiliation: Associate Professor, Department of Biochemistry, Dr D Y Patil Medical College Pimpri , Pune, India .
authors.forename: Sarita A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Shinde
authors.affiliation: Associate Professor, Department of Biochemistry, Dr D Y Patil Medical College Pimpri , Pune, India .
authors.forename: Pradnya
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Phalak
authors.affiliation: Associate Professor, Department of Biochemistry, Dr D Y Patil Medical College Pimpri , Pune, India .
authors.forename: Anita D
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Deshmukh
keywords: Cardiovascular risk factors; Homocysteine; Lipoprotein (A); Menopausal women; Premenopausal women