The Clinical Significance of Serum Homocysteine in Coronary Artery Diseases

Background：Hyperhomocyt (e) inemia is known to be one of independent risk factors for atherosclerosis. The relationship between hyperhomocysteinemia and coronary artery diseases was evaluated in Korean adults. Materials and Methods：Basal fasting plasma homocysteine level was measured in 307 patients (174 males, 58±11 years；133 females, 60±11 years). Coronary artery disease (CAD) was diagnosed in 194 patients. According to the clinical presentation of CAD and the number of significantly stenotic coronary artery, the plasma homocysteine level was analyzed. Results：The plasma homocysteine level was 9.4±3.0 μmol/L in male and 8.5±3.5 μmol/L in female (p＝0.016). Homocysteine was 10.0±3.3 μmol/L in 130 smokers, 8.3±3.0 μmol/ L in 162 non-smokers (p<0.001). The plasma homocysteine level was 9.4±3.2 μmol/L in 194 patients with CAD and 8.4±3.2 μmol/L in 113 patients without CAD (p＝0.008). The homocysteine was 10.2±3.2 μmol/ L in 63 patients with acute myocardial infarction (MI), 9.8±3.1 μmol/L in 37 old MI, 8.7±3.0 μmol/L in 67 unstable angina, and 8.8±3.7 μmol/L in 27 stable angina. The plasma homocysteine was related with the clin-ical presentation of CAD (p＝0.035), but was not an independent risk factor for coronary artery diseases. Conclusions：The elevated value of plasma homocysteine level is a risk factor for pateint with coronary arter