BACKGROUND: To study the association between the total plasma homocysteine (tHcy) concentration and the carotid artery intima-medial wall thickness (IMT), pulse wave velocity (PWV) and the presence of arterial plaques in a French population. METHODS: Cross-sectional analysis of data from 556 male and 559 female middle-aged participants (mean (+/-SD) age 59.6+/-4.7 years) provided by an ongoing intervention trial. RESULTS: Mean geometric tHcy concentration was higher for men than for women (10.6 vs. 8.5 micromol/L, p<0.001) and was associated in the expected direction with known determinants. The mean IMT was 0.71+/-0.1 mm for men and 0.69+/-0.1 mm for women (p<0.001), the mean PWV was, respectively, 12.0+/-2.8 and 10.9+/-2.2 m/sec (p<0.001), and the percentages of subjects with plaques were, respectively, 40.8% and 22.7% (p<0.001). In men only, the age-adjusted mean IMT and PWV increased with an increasing tHcy concentration: the IMT was 0.71 mm in the first tHcy-quartile and 0.73 mm in the fourth tHcy-quartile (p for linear trend=0.03), the PWV values were, respectively, 11.6 and 12.4 m/sec (p for linear trend=0.01). These associations disappeared after adjustment for conventional cardiovascular disease risk factors. CONCLUSION: In this population, the tHcy concentration was not associated with measures of arterial thickness and stiffness.
BACKGROUND: To study the association between the total plasma homocysteine (tHcy) concentration and the carotid artery intima-medial wall thickness (IMT), pulse wave velocity (PWV) and the presence of arterial plaques in a French population. METHODS: Cross-sectional analysis of data from 556 male and 559 female middle-aged participants (mean (+/-SD) age 59.6+/-4.7 years) provided by an ongoing intervention trial. RESULTS: Mean geometric tHcy concentration was higher for men than for women (10.6 vs. 8.5 micromol/L, p<0.001) and was associated in the expected direction with known determinants. The mean IMT was 0.71+/-0.1 mm for men and 0.69+/-0.1 mm for women (p<0.001), the mean PWV was, respectively, 12.0+/-2.8 and 10.9+/-2.2 m/sec (p<0.001), and the percentages of subjects with plaques were, respectively, 40.8% and 22.7% (p<0.001). In men only, the age-adjusted mean IMT and PWV increased with an increasing tHcy concentration: the IMT was 0.71 mm in the first tHcy-quartile and 0.73 mm in the fourth tHcy-quartile (p for linear trend=0.03), the PWV values were, respectively, 11.6 and 12.4 m/sec (p for linear trend=0.01). These associations disappeared after adjustment for conventional cardiovascular disease risk factors. CONCLUSION: In this population, the tHcy concentration was not associated with measures of arterial thickness and stiffness.
Authors: G Vyssoulis; E Karpanou; S-M Kyvelou; D Adamopoulos; T Gialernios; E Gymnopoulou; D Cokkinos; C Stefanadis Journal: J Hum Hypertens Date: 2009-06-11 Impact factor: 3.012
Authors: Kathleen Potter; Daniel J Green; Christopher J Reed; Richard J Woodman; Gerald F Watts; Brendan M McQuillan; Valerie Burke; Graeme J Hankey; Leonard F Arnolda Journal: Cardiovasc Ultrasound Date: 2007-09-24 Impact factor: 2.062