Association between Plasma Homocysteine Level and Ischemic Stroke

Background: Epidemiologic studies have identified hyperhomocysteinemia as a possible risk factor for atherosclerosis. The aim of my study was based on evaluation of relationship between homocysteinemia with ischemic stroke patients. Methods and materials: It was a prospective observational study conducted in the Department of Neurology, Sir Salimullah Medical College Mitford hospital, Dhaka. Thirty six consecutive patients with ischemic stroke were analyzed by serum total homocysteine, total cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol, LDLcholesterol, triglyceride and Equal number of controls same ages were compared with the case group. Result: Mean Fasting blood sugar, serum fasting total cholesterol (TC), serum fasting Low density lipoprotein (LDL) were significantly higher in case group (p=0.001). Serum TC and LDL had a positive correlation with serum homocystine a (p=0.001). Serum High density lipoprotein (HDL) had a negative correlation (p=0.718) and serum triglyceride (TG) had a negative correlation (p = 0.182). Total plasma fasting homocysteine level in case group was 21.89 ± 9.38 ìmol/land control group was 12.31 ± 3.27 ìmol/l, (p=0.001). Elevated fasting homocystein level was found in 75.0% of ischemic stroke patient and in 16.67% of healthy controls (p=0.001). The incidence of hyperhomocysteinemia is higher in ischaemic stroke cases than that in age-sex matched healthy controls. Conclusion: Hyperhomocysteinemia is strongly associated ischaemic stroke patients. Hence it seems to be an important vascular risk factor in this study.