title: Serum homocysteine as a risk factor for carotid intimal thickening in acute stroke: A cross sectional observational study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The present study aimed to analyse if there is a correlation between carotid intima medial thickening (CIMT) and Hcy in stroke patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  We studied 100 consecutive cases of acute anterior circulation strokes at St. John's Medical College, Bangalore, India. Fasting serum samples for homocysteine were sent within 24 hours of admission and all patients underwent a carotid Doppler scan and carotid intima-medial thickness (CIMT) was estimated on both sides.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was significant correlation between serum homocysteine levels and carotid intima-medial thickness (r = 0.409, p = 0.000). Also after controlling for other possible risk factors it was found that elevations in serum homocysteine levels would cause a variation of 60% in the carotid intima-medial thickening.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Serum Hcy levels correlate well with CIMT and hence may predict atherothrombotic events.
authors.affiliation: Department of Hematology, Christian Medical College, Vellore, Tamil Nadu, India.
authors.forename: Anup J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Devasia
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, St. John's Medical College, Bangalore, Karnataka, India.
authors.forename: Binu
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Joy
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, St. John's Medical College, Bangalore, Karnataka, India.
authors.forename: Subhash D
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Tarey
keywords: Homocysteine; atherosclerosis; carotid intima-medial thickness; stroke