The Relationship Between Higher Plasma HCY And The Process Of The Carotid Atherosclerosis In The Elderly

Objective Higher plasma total homocysteine(HCY)is an established risk factor for cardiovascular disease.The association between plasma total homocysteine concentration and the process of the carotid atherosclerosis in high-risk populations with vascular disease still be controversy.The essay is aimed to study the relation between HCY and carotid atherosclerosis and it's clinic significance.Method we evaluated the intima-media thickness(IMT)of the common carotid arteries and the sclerotic lesions of the carotid arteries bulb by ultrasonography in high-risk 99 elderly in-patients(74±9 years)with vascular disease.An ultrasonograpy and 7.5MHZ linear type B-mode probe were used by a specialist to evaluate the sclerotic lesions of the carotid arteries.Boold was drawed from the patients while fasting for the determination of plasma total homocysteine and other factors.According to the plasma total homocysteine concentrations(15umol/l),we divided the patients into two groups.Results The significant difference are found in the numbers of plaque between two groups by ANOVA and Logistic regerssion,meanwhile,Spearma correlation beween the plasma total homocysteine concentrations and the numbers of plaque is significant(r=0.291,P<0.05),the correlation still has statistical significance even though we balance the effacts of age and sex by thepartial correlation analysis.As well,the difference of plaque stability also exists in the two groups(regression coefficient=0.046,P=0.023),and the partial correlation exists in plasma total homocysteine concentrations and plaque stability(partial correlation coefficient=0.076,P=0.045).We find the significant variations in the thickness of plaque between the two groups by ANOVA and analysis of covariance,furthermore,the linear correlation is showed significantly between plasma total homocysteine and plaque thickness(r=0.32,P<0.05,partial correlation coefficient=0.119,P=0.024),While the variations between the IMT of the carotid arteries and plasma total homocysteine is not significant(P=0.057,adjusted P=0.509),and the Pearson correlation of them is also unexsit.(r=0.067,P=0.512).Conclusion The findings of significant correlations beween the plasma total homocysteine concentrations and plaque numbers,plaque thickness show that total homocysteine would rather be one of important factors which affact the plque formation in the later process of cartoid artherosclerosis.