Naveed Akhtar, Toqeer Alam, Mohammad Adil, Hina Waseem.
Homocysteine and coronary artery disease in Pakistan.
Pak J Cardiol Jan ;16(3):131-7.

Objective: Hyperhomocysteinemia is emerging as a prevalent and an independent risk factor for coronary artery disease. The aim of this study was to evaluate the levels of total homocysteine in patients with coronary artery disease and normal healthy subjects in our own population. Methods: This study was conducted at Department of Cardiology, KRL Hospital, Islamabad from May 2002-June 2003. By using fluorescence polarization immunoassay, fasting homocysteine levels were measured in 50 cases and 50 controls. Results: Out of 50 cases, the baseline homocysteine levels were high in 68% (34/50) and the mean homocysteine value was 20.35±10.28 umol/L. (15 umol/L taken as the cut-off value). While in controls the baselinehomocysteine levels were high in 66% (33/50) and the mean homocysteine value was 19.09±7.68 umol/L. Conclusions: We found raised levels of homocysteine in both cases and controls that suggests that the baseline levels of homocysteine in Pakistani population is higher than the normal range i.e. 5-15umol/L. This observation if validated by other studies will have major implications, as homocysteine, is a graded and potentially modifiable risk factor both in cardiac patients and general population with little economic burden.

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