Background: Atherosclerosis is the main cause of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality in many countries. It is believed that hyperhomocysteinemia is a risk factor for premature atherosclerosis and other cardiovascular diseases (CVD) in both men and women.
Material/methods: Plasma samples from 31 non-CVD and 51 CVD patients with diabetes were studied. Informed consent was obtained from all subjects. Blood samples were collected after overnight fasting. Total homocysteine (H [e]), the levels of high and low density lipoproteins (HDL, LDL), total cholesterol, urea and creatinine were determined with commercial kits.
Results: The levels of homocysteine, vitamin B12, creatinine, and urea in CVD patients were significantly higher than those found in the normal subjects. On the other hand, the levels of folic acid, HDL and LDL were lower in CVD patients than in normal subjects. Interestingly, a linear relationship was found between the levels of homocysteine and total cholesterol in CVD samples, whereas no such linear relationship was present in normal subjects.
Conclusions: The level of homocysteine in plasma is known to be mainly dependent on the levels of folic acid and vitamin B12. However, in the present study the level of homocysteine in the plasma of CVD patients is dependent on the level of folic acid and not on the level of vitamin B12. Subjects with high homocysteine levels should be advised to consume a folic acid-fortified diet in order to reduce the homocysteine level in patients at high risk for cardiovascular disease.