Hyperhomocysteinemia, folateo and B12 vitamin in Iranian patients with acute ischemic stroke

Abstract

BACKGROUND: The objective of this study was to evaluate the association of some factors suchas serum levels of homocysteine, folate and B12 vitamin with stroke in acute ischemic strokepatients.METHODS: In this case control study, serum levels of homocysteine, folate and B12 vitamin in93 patients with acute ischemic stroke admitted to Imam Khomeini Hospital betweenSeptember 2008 and January 2010, and 93 healthy controls were measured. Cerebrovascularrisk factors including age, sex, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, smoking, diabetes mellitus,alcohol consumption, coronary artery disease and obesity were recorded. The results werecompared between the case and control groups.RESULTS: The mean ± standard deviation (SD) of fasting total homocysteine (tHcy) level inacute ischemic stroke patients was 20.58 ± 19.6 0mol/L, which was significantly higher thanthat of control group being 14.11 ± 9.5 0mol/L (P = 0.002). 39 (41.9%) stroke cases and 25(26.8%) controls had hyperhomocysteinemia. There were no significant relationships betweentHcy, folate and B12 vitamin levels with the above mentioned cerebrovascular risk factors exceptfor smoking (p> 0.05). No significant difference in B12 vitamin and folate levels betweenpatients and healthy controls were detected (P> 0.05).CONCLUSION: Hyperhomocysteinemia is common in Iranian patients with acute ischemicstroke and might play a role as an independent risk factor in stroke.Keywords: Stroke, Homocysteine, B12 Vitamin, Folate.