Incidence of hyperhomocysteinemia among patients with acute myocardial infarction younger than 45 years

Abstract

Hyperhomocysteinemia (HHcy) is considered one of the factors related to premature atherothrombosis. Study compares incidences of HHcy, defined as homocysteinemia above 12 μmol/L, and medians of homocysteinemia between the groups of 212 patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) younger than 45 years of age and 45 age-matched healthy persons. Homocysteine was determined by a HPLC method with fluorescent detection. Results were compared by chi-square, Mann-Whitney U and Kruskal-Wallis tests. Significant difference (p=0.001) was observed between incidence of HHcy in patients (44.8%) and incidence in controls (17.8%). Medians of homocysteinemia levels in patients (11.4 μmol/L) and controls (9.7 μmol/L) were significantly different (p=0.001). Gender-specific differences in incidence of HHcy and in median homocysteinemia value in patients were not significant. Incidences of HHcy in female patients (47.1%) and in healthy women (4.8%) were significantly different (p=0.001). Comparison of median homocysteinemia levels in women with AMI (10.9 μmol/L) and in female controls (9.0 μmol/L) revealed significant difference (p=0.025). Such differences were not observed in male subjects of our study. No significant difference was found when incidences of HHcy and medians of homocysteinemia were compared between defined age groups of patients. We conclude that young patients with AMI have higher incidence of hyperhomocysteinemia and higher level of homocysteinemia than healthy persons. Young women with AMI have higher incidence of hyperhomocysteinemia and higher level of homocysteine than healthy young women.

Keywords

• acute myocardial infarction
• hyperhomocysteinemia
• young adults