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Plasma Homocysteine Levels Predict the Risk of Acute Cerebral Infarction in Patients with Carotid Artery Lesions

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Abstract

This study examined the association between elevated plasma homocysteine (Hcy) levels and the risk of acute cerebral infarction in patients with carotid artery lesions. A total of 78 patients were divided into two groups, the high Hcy group (n = 38; Hcy levels >15 umol/L) and the low Hcy group (n = 40; Hcy levels ≤15 umol/L). High-resolution B-mode ultrasounds were performed to assess intima media thickness (IMT), infarcts, plaques, and stenosis in the extracranial carotid artery of these patients. All patients underwent 3 T MR scanners to evaluate cerebral artery stenosis in the intracranial cerebral artery. The plasma Hcy levels did not show any statistically significant differences when comparisons were based on gender, age, blood pressure, diabetes, hyperlipidemia, and systolic and diastolic pressures. Importantly, the incidence of carotid plaque and severe stenosis of intracranial and extracranial artery were significantly higher in the high Hcy group compared to the low Hcy group. Pearson’s test indicated that plasma Hcy levels positively correlated with IMT, total number of plaques and unstable plaques. Overall, the elevated plasma Hcy levels correlated with increased frequency of carotid plaque formation, extra- and intracranial arterial stenosis, and the degree of stenosis. In conclusion, we find a significant correlation between elevated plasma Hcy levels and the increased incidence of acute cerebral infarction in patients with carotid artery lesions.

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Acknowledgments

We would like to acknowledge our instructors for their valuable advice and also thank the reviewers for their precious comments on this paper.

Conflict of Interest

The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Neurosurgery, The First Hospital of Jilin University, 71 Xinmin Street, Changchun, 130021, People’s Republic of China

    Wei Wu, Yi Guan, Kan Xu, Xi-Jia Fu, Xiao-Feng Lei, Li-Jian Lei, Zhi-Qing Zhang, Yan Cheng & Yun-Qian Li

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  1. Wei Wu
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  2. Yi Guan
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Correspondence to Yun-Qian Li.

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Wu, W., Guan, Y., Xu, K. et al. Plasma Homocysteine Levels Predict the Risk of Acute Cerebral Infarction in Patients with Carotid Artery Lesions. Mol Neurobiol 53, 2510–2517 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12035-015-9226-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12035-015-9226-y

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