HOMOCYSTEINE, AN INDEPENDENT CARDIOVASCULAR RISK FACTOR AMONG IRANIAN MALE POPULATION
Abstract
Background: Homocysteine is increasingly recognized as a risk factor for coronary artery disease. Research in this field, however, has not produced uniform results. This inconsistency may partly be explained by racial and dietary differences in the studied groups. This study was performed to determine the association between hyperhomocysteinemia and coronary artery disease in Iranian male patients. Methods: 77 consecutive male patients with definite coronary artery disease (doclimented by coronary angiography) who had no conventional major cardiovascular risk factors (smoking, dyslipidemia, hypertension or diabetes mellitus) and 77 healthy controls with the same qualifications were enrolled in the study. Total homocysteine levels were measured by enzyme immunoassay method. Results: There was no significant difference between the ages of cases and controls (mean age±SD: 60.1±10.6 and 59.4±8.4 years in cases and controls, respectively). Mean levels of total homocysteine were 17.9±6.8 and 15.6±6.5 µmol/L in cases and controls, respectively (P=0.038). On logistic regression analysis, the odds ratio for coronary artery disease was found to be 1.67 (95% confidence interval: 1.02-2.75) for each 10µmol/L increment in total homucysteine level. Conclusion: High levels of total homocysteine may be considered an independent risk factor for coronary artery disease in Iranian male population. Further studies are needed to clarify its prevalence and clinical impact.
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