Homocysteine, Folate and Vitamin B12 in Patients with Coronary Heart Disease

Background/Aims: Homocysteine and possibly also folate and vitamin B12 are involved in the pathogenesis of cardiovascular disease. We investigated the prevalence of hyperhomocysteinemia in patients with coronary heart disease (CHD), as well as folate and vitamin B12, the main nutritional factors determining the level of homocysteine. Methods: Patients with angiographically documented CHD were prospectively investigated (n = 315, 70% male, mean age 61 [range 36-81] years). Fasting total serum homocysteine was determined by high-performance liquid chromatography and fluorescence detection. Folic acid and vitamin B12 were measured with AxSYM® Systems. Results: Median homocysteine concentrations for homocysteine, folate and vitamin B12 were 12.8 μmol/l, 6.8 ng/ml and 345 pg/ml, respectively. Homocysteine levels >10 μmol/l were found in 82% of men and 73% of women. In 19% of the patients serum folate was