Homocysteine is a marker for metabolic syndrome and atherosclerosis.

BACKGROUND: It has been documented that patients with metabolic syndrome (MS) and vascular complications have higher homocysteine levels. Hyperhomocysteinemia correlates with IR, increasing oxidative stress, which causes lesions of vascular endothelium leading to endothelial dysfunction, hypertension and atherosclerosis.

OBJECTIVE: The objectives of the study were to examine homocysteine values, along with cardiovascular risk factors (lipid and apolipoprotein status, CRP, blood pressure), indicators of renal function (microalbuminuria/24h), glucose regulation and insulin resistance (glucose and insulin level, HbA1c, HOMA-IR, uric acid) and anthropometric parameters (BMI, WC, HC, WHR) in patients with and without MS as a correlation between homocysteine and MS factors.

METHODS: The study included obese and overweight individuals, aged of 30-75 yrs. classified into two groups: with MS (n=35) and without MS (n=41).

RESULTS: Patients with MS had increased WC, BMI, BP, glycaemia, HOMA-IR, TG, CRP, microalbuminuria, homocysteine and decreased HDL-C (p<0.05). Statistically significant difference between groups was found for WC, BMI, sBP and dBP, TG, HDL-C (p<0.01) and glycaemia, CRP, Apo B, HOMA-IR (p<0.05). Significant positive correlations were found between homocysteine and sBP (p=0.036), dBP (p=0.04), Apo B (p=0.038) and hyperlipoproteinemia (type IIa, type IIb and type IV) (p=0.04).

CONCLUSION: Patients with MS had increased abdominal obesity, hypertension, hypertriglyceridemia, inflammation factors, IR, homocysteine and microalbuminuria as markers of endothelial dysfunction. A correlation between homocysteine and hypertension and hyperlipoproteinemia showed that homocysteine could be used as a potential marker for atherosclerosis progression.