Clinical significance of plasma homocysteine and oxide low density lipoprotein in patients with acute cerebral infarction

Objective To observe the association between the plasma levels of high sensitivity C-reactive protein(hsCRP),homocysteine(Hcy) or oxide low density lipoprotein(ox-LDL) and prognosis in patients with acute cerebral infarction.Methods 90 Patients with acute cerebral infarction were recruited from the Neurology Department from Jan 2008 to Nov 2008.Subjects examined were composed of 90 patients above(cerebral infarction group) and 56 healthy individuals(control group).Levels of hsCRP were measured when they were hospitalized.Patients were assigned into two groups: the normal hsCRP group(n= 42) and the high hsCRP group(n= 48).Before and after the treatment with lipid-lowering drugs(4 weeks),the plasma levels of Hcy and ox-LDL were detected.Among them 52 patients were monitored 6 months after treatment and study the relation between subsequent cerebral infarction and the levels of Hcy or ox-LDL.Results The plasma levels of Hcy and ox-LDL after the treatment with lipid-lowering drugs(4 weeks) decreased significantly that before the treatment(P 0.05).They all higher than the control group(P 0.01).There is no significant difference of the level of Hcy between the high hsCRP group and the normal one(P0.05).Compared to the normal hsCRP group,level of ox-LDL of the high hsCRP group were markedly increased(P 0.01).Over a 6-month period,the levels of Hcy and ox-LDL after the treatment in 8 patients with subsequent cerebral infarction(15.38%) were higher than the patients without it(P 0.05).Conclusion Hcy,ox-LDL and hsCRP not only participate in the form of atherosclerosis together,but also may play an important role of conducing the instability of atherosclerotic plaques and promote the cerebral thrombosis.