The association between serum total homocysteine and subacute combined degeneration of spinal cord

Abstract

Objective: The research was aimed to investigate the association between serum total homocysteine (tHcy) and subacute combined degeneration of the spinal cord (SCD). Methods: A retrospective survey of 106 newly diagnosed patients with SCD were enrolled in this research who were treated in the department of neurology of Xijing Hospital from January 2008 to February 2019, meanwhile, 121 patients with spinal cord lesion (not SCD) and 104 neurology mild outpatients were selected as controls. Serum tHcy level was determined by using the chemiluminescent immunoassay assay. A multivariate logistic regression model was used to analyze the risk factors for SCD. The area under the curve (AUC) of the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve, sensitivity, specificity and Youden index were used to evaluate the diagnostic efficacy of tHcy. Spearman correlation analysis was used to observe the correlation between tHcy and SCD severity. The SCD patients were categorized into normal or mild tHcy group, moderate tHcy group, and severe tHcy group based on tHcy levels. Clinical symptoms, nerve conduction velocity, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings from the patients were studied. Results: The serum tHcy levels in SCD patients were 64.3(26.5, 98.8) μmol/L, while in patients with spinal cord lesion (not SCD) group were 13.7(10.8, 19.2) μmol/L, neurology mild outpatients were 10.6(8.2, 13.0) μmol/L, which was higher in SCD group (H=112.020,P<0.001), (H=165.525,P<0.001).The multivariate logistic regression model showed tHcy is the impact factor of SCD (OR=1.107, 95%CI:1.077-1.139, P<0.001). At ROC analysis, tHcy showed diagnostic value with an optimal cut-off value of 24.9 μmol/L (AUC 0.913, 95%CI: 0.875-0.951, sensitivity 79.2%, specificity 91.6%). Spearman correlation analysis showed that tHcy was positively correlated with functional disability rating scale (r=0.254, P=0.009). Conclusions: Serum tHcy is the risk factor for SCD and related to its disability. Focus on the increased level of tHcy plays a positive role in the diagnosis of SCD.