Relationship of B-vitamins (Vitamin B12, B6 and Folic Acid) and Coronary Artery Disease in Pakistan

Abstract

Abstract Background: Coronary artery disease is one of the most lethal diseases in Pakistani population and vita-min deficiency is common in this country. Aim: Present study was carried out to find a probable relationship between vitamin B 12 , B 6 and Folic acid and coronary artery disease in Pakistani population. Methodology: A cross sectional study was carried out. A total of 40, angiographically diagnosed male patients of coronary artery disease, between 30 - 45 years of age were taken as cases. A same number of age, sex and socioeconomically matched normal heal-thy male subjects with normal carotid doppler study were taken as controls. Fasting venous blood was obta-ined from all the cases and controls in E.D.T.A vacu-tainers. Plasma was analyzed for vitamin B 12 and folic acid levels using competitive protein binding radio-assay and for vitamin B 6 (PLP, a co-enzymic form of vitamin B 6 ) using radioenzymatic assay. Results: Mean plasma vitamin B 12 concentration in coronary artery disease patients was found to be lower than the mean for controls (150.25 ± 135.98 pmol/L vs 204 ± 92.26 pmol/L). Plasma folic acid levels were also lower in patients than in the controls (12.11 ± 17.35 nmol/L vs 28.47 ± 37.23 nmol/L). The levels of vitamin B 6 were also low in patients than in controls (8.26 ± 6.18 nmol/L vs 11.82 ± 9.24 nmol/L).The results also showed an inverse relation between the vitamin B 12 , B 6 and folic acid levels and the extent of coronary artery disease as shown by the number of coronary blood vessels blocked. Conclusion: There is an inverse relationship between the plasma vitamin levels and coronary artery disease. It may therefore be concluded that the deficiency of B-vitamins (B 12 , B 6 and folic acid) may be aggravating the risk of coronary artery disease through an interplay with the classical risk factors of coronary artery disease.