OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether hyperhomocysteinemia is an independent risk factor for atherosclerotic disease in elderly individuals METHODS: A case-control study with 172 elderly individuals, 88 belonging to control group and 84 to case group, who showed coronary angiography requested for clinical indications. Quantitative coronary angiography was performed in 91% of the patients. Homocysteinemia was assessed in a continuous and categorized way, through univariate and multivariate analysis. RESULTS: When analyzed continuously, in univariate analysis, it was verified that case group elderly individuals showed an average homocysteinemia levels significantly higher than the control group individuals' (14.33±4.59 µmol/l against 11.99±4.59 µmol/l, p=0.015). In multivariate analysis, continuous homocysteinemia was associated to the risk rate for coronary artery disease of 1.07 for each 1 µmol/l increase of homocysteine level. Na increase of 5 µmol/l corresponded to the risk rate of 1.40. When analyzed in categorized way, the values found over percentile 75 of control group (14 µmol/l) were defined as hyperhomocysteinemia. Hyperhomocysteinemia was found in 34% of elderly individuals, being 37.3% in control group and 62.7% in case group (p= 0.009). In multivariate analysis, hyperhomocysteinemia constituted an independent risk factor for coronary atherosclerotic disease for elderly individuals, with a risk rate for coronary artery disease of 2.03, confidence interval 95%, 1.02-4.03. CONCLUSION: Hyperhomocysteinemia was an independent risk factor for coronary artery disease in elderly individuals.
hyperhomocysteinemia; homocysteine; elderly; octogenarian; risk factor; coronary artery disease
