Carotid artery intimal-medial wall thickening and plasma homocyst(e)ine in asymptomatic adults. The Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study.

TLDR

Plasma levels of homocyst(e)ine are elevated in patients with occlusive arterial diseases. The study aimed to extend these findings to asymptomatic adults. Researchers measured plasma homocyst(e)ine in 287 matched asymptomatic adults, classifying them as cases or controls based on carotid intimal‑medial thickness assessed by B‑mode ultrasound, with participants drawn from a probability sample of 15,800 adults aged 45‑64 who had no prior atherosclerotic disease. Individuals with thickened carotid intimal‑medial walls had significantly higher plasma homocyst(e)ine, with those in the highest quintile (>10.5 µmol/L) having a 3.15‑fold higher odds of wall thickening compared to the lowest quintile (<5.88 µmol/L), suggesting that lowering homocyst(e)ine could prevent atherosclerosis progression.

Abstract

BACKGROUND Plasma levels of homocyst(e)ine are elevated in certain patients with occlusive arterial diseases. We extended these findings to asymptomatic adults. METHODS AND RESULTS We determined plasma homocyst(e)ine levels in 287 pairs of asymptomatic adults. Cases and controls were defined on the basis of intimal-medial thickness of the carotid wall as measured by B-mode ultrasound. Study subjects had no history of atherosclerotic disease and were selected from a probability sample of 15,800 men and women between 45 and 64 years old. Subjects with thickened intimal-medial carotid walls (cases) had higher plasma homocyst(e)ine levels than controls (p &lt; 0.001). The odds ratio for having a thickened carotid artery wall was 3.15 (p &lt; 0.001) for subjects in the top quintile of plasma homocyst(e)ine levels (&gt; 10.5 mumol/L) compared with those in the bottom quintile (&lt; 5.88 mumol/L). CONCLUSIONS The present study as well as observations on the common occurrence of elevated plasma homocyst(e)ine levels in patients with occlusive arterial diseases suggest that clinical trials should be conducted to determine whether normalization of hyperhomocyst(e)inemia may prevent progression of atherosclerosis.