
Role of Homocysteine, Vitamins B6, B12 and Folic Acid in Acute Myocardial Infarction Patients
1770-1775
Correspondence
Dr. P. Pasupathi, (Ph.D.),
H.O.D., Dept. of Clinical Biochemistry,
Institute of Laboratory Medicine, K.G. Hospital
and Post Graduate Medical Institute, Coimbatore-641018,
Tamil Nadu, (India). Tel: +91 422 2201201. Fax: +91 422 2211212.
E-mail: drppasupathi@gmail.com
Background: Homocysteine is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease. We evaluated the efficacy of homocysteine-lowering treatment with B vitamins for secondary prevention in patients who had had an acute myocardial infarction.
Methods: We investigated the possible correlation between deficiency of vitamins B6, B12 or folic acid and homocysteine in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI). A case control study was carried out involving 50 AMI patients and age matched 50 normal healthy subjects.
Results: Mean serum B12 concentration in AMI patients was found to be significantly lower than the mean for controls. Mean serum folate and PLP level in patients was also found to be lower than controls; however, the differences were not statistically significant. Mean plasma homocysteine level in AMI cases was higher than the mean level in controls. Compared to controls, there was significantly greater deficiency of folate, B12 and PLP in AMI patients.
Conclusion Substantial nutritional deficiencies of these three vitamins along with mild hyperhomocysteinemia, perhaps through interplay with the classical cardiovascular risk factors (highly prevalent in this population), could be further aggravating the risk of CAD in the population.