Impact of homocysteine, folate and vitamin B12 levels in patients of arteriosclerosis

Abstract

Cardiovascular disease [CVD] and stroke are the most common causes of death. Several studies have demonstrated that increased plasma level of total homocysteine is associated with premature onset of CVD and stroke. Arteriosclerosis, a disease of the large arteries, is one of the primary causes of heart disease and stroke. Increased homocysteine level have been associated with more advanced extracranial carotid artery arteriosclerosis, with decreased levels of vitamin B12 and folic acid. In present study plasma total homocysteine, serum folic acid and serum vitamin B12 in patients with arteriosclerosis were measured in total 150 patients and compared with the healthy control subjects [n=200]. The level of plasma total homocysteine was significantly higher [p<0.01] in patients with arteriosclerosis as compared to healthy controls. Whereas significant decrease in serum folic acid [p<0.01] and vitamin B12 [p<0.01] was observed in patients with arteriosclerosis than normal healthy controls, the decrease in levels of vitamins may be due to dietary insufficiency, which corresponds with severity of tissue damage.