title: Subclinical carotid artery disease and plasma homocysteine levels in patients with hypertension.
abstract: Information on the association between homocysteine (Hcy) levels and subclinical carotid artery disease is limited. We investigated the relationship of plasma Hcy concentration with carotid artery plaques and intima-media thickness (IMT) in patients with hypertension. In 486 essential hypertensive patients who underwent ultrasound examination of the carotid arteries, we measured plasma levels of Hcy, vitamin B12, folate, and C-reactive protein. Plaques were detected in 34% of the study patients. Plasma Hcy levels were significantly greater in hypertensive patients with evidence of carotid plaques than patients without carotid plaques. Carotid IMT progressively increased across quartiles of plasma Hcy levels. Multivariate regression showed that carotid IMT was independently related with age, blood pressure, C-reactive protein, and Hcy levels. In a logistic regression, age, blood pressure, triglyceride, and Hcy independently predicted the presence of carotid plaques. Thus, elevated plasma Hcy levels are associated with asymptomatic carotid disease in hypertensive patients suggesting a role of Hcy in the development and progression of carotid atherosclerosis in these patients.
authors: Hypertension Unit, Internal Medicine, Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, University of Udine, Udine, Italy; Division of Cardiology, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria. Electronic address: cristiana.catena@uniud.it.
authors: Cristiana
authors: C
authors: Catena
authors: Hypertension Unit, Internal Medicine, Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, University of Udine, Udine, Italy.
authors: GianLuca
authors: G
authors: Colussi
authors: Division of Cardiology, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria.
authors: Marion
authors: M
authors: Url-Michitsch
authors: Hypertension Unit, Internal Medicine, Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, University of Udine, Udine, Italy.
authors: Francesca
authors: F
authors: Nait
authors: Hypertension Unit, Internal Medicine, Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, University of Udine, Udine, Italy.
authors: Leonardo A
authors: LA
authors: Sechi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D058070:Asymptomatic Diseases; D001317:Austria; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D002339:Carotid Arteries / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D059168:Carotid Intima-Media Thickness; D016893:Carotid Stenosis / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D006710:Homocysteine / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000150:complications / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012307:Risk Factors; D013223:Statistics as Topic
chemical_list: D006710:Homocysteine; D002097:C-Reactive Protein
keywords: Atherosclerosis; carotid plaques; cerebrovascular disease; intima-media thickness