Total homocysteine is not a determinant of arterial pulse wave velocity in young healthy adults

JV Woodside, R McMahon, AM Gallagher, GW Cran, CA Boreham, LJ Murray, JJ STRAIN, H McNulty, PJ Robson, KS Brown, AS Whitehead, M Savage, IS Young

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28 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Aims: Hyperhomocysteinaemia has been associated with reduced pulse wave velocity (PWV) in patients with end-stage renal disease and in those with hypertension. The aim of this study was to examine the association between total homocysteine (tHcy) concentrations, the biochemical and genetic determinants of tHcy and PWV in healthy young adults. Methods and results: A total of 489 subjects aged 20-25 years participated. A fasting blood sample was taken and PWV measured using a non-invasive optical method. tHcy did not correlate with PWV, whether assessed at the aono-iliac segment (P = 0.18), the aorto-radial segment (P = 0.39) or the aorto-dorsalis-pedis segment (P = 0.22). When tHcy was classified into normal (< 15) and high (greater than or equal to 15 mumol/l) PWV did not differ between the two groups at any segment. PWV did not differ by MTHFR C677T or NOS3 G894T genotype, even when smoking and folate sub-groups were considered. Considering aortic PWV as a dependent variable, stepwise regression analysis showed that the only parameter entering the model for all segments was systolic blood pressure (aorto-iliac, P < 0.001; aorto-radial, P = 0.01; aorto-dorsalis-pedis, P = 0.001). Age, sex, COL1A1 genotype and triglycerides entered the model significantly for two of three segments. Conclusion: This study shows that arterial PWV is not associated with tHcy in a healthy young population. (C) 2004 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)337-344
JournalAtherosclerosis
Volume177
Issue number2
DOIs
Publication statusPublished (in print/issue) - Dec 2004

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