Association between serum homocysteine and arterial stiffness in patients with Behçet’s disease

Abstract

Aim of the workTo study the effects of serum homocysteine (Hcy) on arterial wall properties, as a contributing risk factor for arterial atherosclerosis and thrombosis. Patients and methodsFifty Behçet's disease (BD) patients (M/F:37/13; age:34.8 ± 8.5 years) along with 50 healthy controls (M/F:32/18; age:31.9 ± 8.1 years) matched for age, sex, blood pressure, heart rate, height, total cholesterol and glucose levels were included. All were recruited Zagazig University Hospitals between January 2018 and December 2018. Disease activity was assessed using the Behçet's Disease Current Activity Form (BDCAF). Total Hcy was assayed by the Axis-Shield Homocysteine Enzyme Immunoassay (EIA) in serum. All subjects underwent carotid Doppler ultrasound to measure carotid artery intima-media thickness (C-IMT), arterial distensibility coefficient, Beta-stiffness index (ß) and carotid- femoral pulse wave velocity (PWV). ResultsThe main findings were significantly increased C-IMT (0.75 ± 0.71 mm), beta stiffness index (3.55 ± 0.34) and PWV (6.55 ± 1.07 m/second) and decreased distensibility (23.39 ± 1.89·10−3 × kPa−1) in patients compared to control (p < 0.001, p < 0.001, p = 0.02 and p < 0.001 respectively). The Hcy level was significantly higher in BD patients (17.3 ± 4.2 μmol/L) vs control (8.9 ± 2.3 μmol/L). The Hcy level > 15 μmol/L significantly correlated with the C-IMT (r = 0.54, p < 0.001), ß index (r = 0.78, p < 0.001), PWV (r = 0.56, p < 0.001) and distensibility (r = −0.65, p < 0.001) as well as with the presence of vascular lesions (r = 0.59, p < 0.001) with a tendency to correlate with the BDCAF (r = 0.11, p = 0.07). ConclusionsThese findings suggest higher risk for development of atherosclerosis and endothelial dysfunction in BD patients and highlights that future researches should focus on identification and prophylactic treatment of patients at risk of cardiovascular disease.