title: Elevated homocysteine levels contribute to larger hematoma volume in patients with intracerebral hemorrhage.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  We investigate whether plasma homocysteine (HCY) levels are associated with hematoma volume and outcome in patients with intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH).
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 69 patients admitted within 24 hours after ICH onset was divided into 2 groups based on admission plasma HCY levels (low homocysteinemia [LHCY] group, plasma HCY concentrations ≤14.62 μmol/L, versus high homocysteinemia [HHCY] group, >14.62 μmol/L).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mean hematoma volumes for 2 groups (LHCY and HHCY) were 13.18 and 23.09 mL (P = .012), respectively, in patients with thalamoganglionic ICH, but hematoma volumes between 2 groups had no significant difference among patients with lobar or infratentorial ICH. On multivariate linear regression analysis, elevated HCY levels significantly correlated with larger hematoma volume in patients with thalamoganglionic ICH (B = .604, P = .004) after adjustment for confounding factors. Poor outcomes (6-month modified Rankin Scale scores ≥3) were not significantly different between 2 groups (low homocysteinemia group, 31.4%, versus high homocysteinemia group, 41.2%, P = .400).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Elevated plasma HCY levels were associated with larger hematoma volume only in patients with thalamoganglionic ICH. HCY levels might not be predictors of the 6-month clinical outcome in patients with ICH.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Fangfang
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Botao
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Chunli
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department of Hemotology, Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Jinjin
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Shiyu
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology, Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Fulin
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, P.R. China. Electronic address: zhipinghuxy@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Zhiping
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Hu
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D002543:Cerebral Hemorrhage / Q000150:complications*; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D005260:Female; D006406:Hematoma / Q000097:blood* / Q000209:etiology*; D006710:Homocysteine / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013788:Thalamus / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D006710:Homocysteine
keywords: Stroke; hematoma; homocysteine; intracerebral hemorrhage; stroke outcome