Role of Homocysteine in Atherosclerotic Coronary Artery Disease; Its Association With Lesion Stenotic Severity, Vitamin B12 and Folic Acid

Recent studies have shown that elevation in hoınocysteine (Hey) levels is an independent risk factor other than classical risk factors for atherosclerotic coronary artery disease (CAD). In our study, we aimed to investigate the role of Hey in CAD, its association with vitamin B12 (B12), folic acid (FA) and severity of stenotic lesi on. This study was ınade in the Cardiology Department of Uludağ University Medical Faculty between June 1998 and August 1999 among persons in whoın a coronary angiography was perforıned. The coronary angiographies were evaluated quantitatively by two experienced cardiologists who were unaware of the laboratory findings. In order to show lesion severity of CAD, coronary artery lesions were assessed according to the Gensini scoring system. Blood sa ınp les were drawn from patients for serum Hey, B12 and FA levels. Role of hey in atherosclerotic coronary artery disease; and its association with B 12, FA and lesion stenotic severity were examined statistically. Coronary angiography was coınp lete l y normal in 45 of 209 patients. In 164 patients, coronary lesions were detected. In the group with CAD; mean age, male/female ratio, ineidence of smoking and diabetes, levels ofB12, FA, Hey and total cholesterol were higher than the group without CAD and the differences between the groups were statistically significant (p<0.05). In the study group when the binary logistic regression test was used for determination of coronary risk factors, elevated levels of hey were found as an independent risk factor other than classical risk factors and were fo und to increase risk of having CAD 1.6 times (pKeywords: Homocysteine, vitamin B 12, folic acid, lesion stenotic severity.