title: The relation between vitamin B12 and SYNTAX score.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Vitamin B12 is required in the metabolism of homocysteine. Vitamin B12 deficiency has been implicated in endothelial dysfunction and cardiovascular disease via hyperhomocysteinaemia. However, the association of vitamin B12 and the severity of coronary artery disease has not been studied to date.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This study was conducted with the aim of evaluating the relationship between vitamin B12 and SYNTAX score.
  
  
  METHODS
  Medical records of consecutive patients who underwent coronary artery bypass grafting surgery were retrospectively reviewed. The study group consisted of 127 patients. Vitamin B12, other biochemical parameters, clinical and echocardiographic parameters, and SYNTAX score were evaluated for all patients.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Patients with vitamin B12 deficiency had a higher prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors such as diabetes mellitus, and history of transient ischaemic attack/stroke and heart failure. The SYNTAX score was significantly higher in patients with vitamin B12 deficiency (29.2 ± 4.9 vs. 22.5 ± 4.5, p < 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In our study, we found a significant relationship between vitamin B12 deficiency and SYNTAX score, demon-strating the severity and complexity of coronary artery disease.
authors.affiliation: Near East University, Cyprus. drcerit@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Levent
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Cerit
authors.forename: Hamza
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Duygu
authors.forename: Kamil
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Gulsen
authors.forename: Hatice
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kemal
authors.forename: Ozgur
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Tosun
authors.forename: Barcin
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Ozcem
authors.forename: Zeynep
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Cerit
authors.forename: Aziz
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gunsel
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D014806:Vitamin B 12 Deficiency / Q000150:complications*
keywords: SYNTAX score; coronary artery bypass graft surgery; vitamin B12