Impaired homocysteine metabolism: A risk factor in young adults with atherosclerotic arterial occlusive disease of the leg

Abstract

To assess the prevalence of impaired homocysteine metabolism in young adults with arterial occlusive disease, 80 consecutive patients under 45 years old were screened. Various laboratory blood investigations and a standardized methionine loading test were performed. In the first 52 patients plasma levels of free homocysteine were determined; thereafter the levels of total homocysteine (a more sensitive measure of impaired homocysteine metabolism) were measured. The methionine loading test was abnormal in 15 patients (19 per cent) who did not differ from the other 65 with respect to prevalence of other risk factors, clinical characteristics, and electrocardiographic and angiographic findings. Blood levels of glucose, vitamins B6 and B12, folate, protein C and protein S, fibrinogen and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol did not differ significantly between the two groups. The prevalence of impaired homocysteine metabolism in young patients with arterial occlusive disease is greater than the 1-2 per cent found in the normal population.

Premature Cardiovascular Disease Is Common in Relatives of Patients With Premature Peripheral Atherosclerosis

“…Premature PVD is thought to be multifactorial in etiology and presumably reflects the concerted action of both genetic and environmental factors. Clinical conditions that have been associated with premature PVD include cigarette smoking, 9 dyslipidemia, 10 homocysteinemia, 11,12 hypercoagulable states, 13,14 and elevated levels of lipoprotein(a). 10,15 However, these factors cannot explain the development of premature peripheral atherosclerosis in most individuals 2 ; therefore, other factors must also be required for the development of the disease.…”

Homocysteine as a risk factor for cardiovascular and related disease: nutritional implications

“…It is known that mild homocysteinaemia is associated with coronary artery disease (Boushey et al 1995) and cerebral (Brattstrom et al 1992;Perry et al 1995) and peripheral occlusive arterial disease (Brattstrom et al 1990;Aronson et al 1994) in relatively young patients (under 60 years). Hyper-tHcy is also associated with thromboembolic disease of the venous system.…”

Homocysteinemie et accidents vasculaires cerebraux ischemiques au chu campus de lome

“…L'homocystéine est un acide aminé soufré intermédiaire du métabolisme de la méthionine. Elle est synthétisée par toutes les cellules de l'organisme et peut être catabolisée selon deux voies : la voie de la transulfuration et la voie de la reméthylation (2,4). La concentration plasmatique d'homocysteine chez un sujet normal est comprise entre 5 et 15 µmol/l (8).…”

“…L'existence d'une forte prévalence de l'Hcy (62,3%) avec des taux de folates inférieurs à 6,75 nmol /l et un génotype MTHFR CT/TT a été récemment rapportée dans les régions côtières de l'Afrique de l'Ouest, particulièrement au Togo et au Bénin (1). De nombreuses études montrent une association entre Hcy et l'augmentation des risques de maladies coronariennes, cérébrovasculaires et vasculaires périphériques (2,5,9,12,16,19,25,26). D'autres encore soulignent l'importance de l'Hcy modérée sur l'incidence des thrombo-embolies, à la fois artériels et veineux, ainsi que sur le risque de thromboses veineuses juvéniles ou récurrentes (2,11,13,15,27).…”