Homocysteine and markers of inflammation in acute coronary syndrome

An elevated level of homocysteine (Hcy) has been shown to be a cardiovascular risk factor in the majority of research studies. Recently, it was found to be associated with new risk factors such as inflammatory markers. To investigate the distribution of plasma total Hcy (tHcy) and the levels of inflammatory markers in patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS), and to evaluate the association between these parameters and the severity of the disease. A total of 122 patients with ACS and 80 control subjects were recruited from the cardiac intensive care unit of the Military Hospital of Tunis, Tunisia. Lipid profile and the levels of tHcy, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (HsCRP), interleukin (IL)-6, IL-8, IL-1beta and tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNFalpha) were determined for all participants. The distribution of these parameters were compared between groups and according to the number of diseased vessels in patients with ACS. ACS patients had significantly elevated levels of tHcy (P