Relationship between homocysteine and carotid artery atherosclerosis in acute cerebral infarction patients

Objective To study the relationship between serum homocysteine (Hcy) levels and carotid artery atherosclerosis (CAA) in cerebral infarction patients. Methods Patients with cerebral infarction were examined by color Doppler ultrasonography to detect CAA stenosis. The patients were divided into three groups based on the severity of stenosis of CAA: the moderate-severe stenosis group, the slight stenosis group, and the normal group. The results of serum Hcy levels on different groups were compared. Results The Hcy level of moderate-severe group was (32.69±19.54)μmol/L, while the Hcy level of normal group was (17.14±4.98)μmol/L, and the Hcy level of the slight stenosis group was (24.72±10.53)μmol/L. There was statistically significant difference of Hcy level between the moderate-severe stenotsis group and the other two groups (P﹤0.01), and there was also statistically significant difference of Hcy levels between the slight stenosis group and the normal group (P﹤0.05). While the degree of stenosis on different age groups was not significantly different (P﹥0.05), but the incidence of carotid artery stenosis in patients more than fifty was significantly higher than it was in other patients(P﹤0.01). Conclusions Hyperhomocysteinemia may accelerates atherosclerosis that results in cerebral infarctions. Homocysteinaemia level is highly correlated with the severity of the stenosis of CAA. The measurement of CAA combined with Hcy is very important for treatment and the prognosis of patients with cerebral infarction.