Diabetic retinopathy is a vascular complication of diabetes, and homocysteine is an intermediate product of methionine metabolism. Hyperhomocysteinemia can directly or indirectly damage vascular endothelial cells, causing vascular endothelial cells dysfunction and participating in the occurrence and development of diabetic retinopathy. Uric acid is the final product of purine metabolism. Hyperuricemia can cause vascular endothelial dysfunction, oxidative metabolism, platelet adhesion and aggregation dysfunction, thus participating in the occurrence and development of diabetic retinopathy. In recent years, there have been many studies on the correlation between diabetic retinopathy and levels of homocysteine and uric acid. This article reviews the relevant literature at home and abroad in order to provide new information for the prevention and treatment of diabetic retinopathy.
ObjectiveTo observe the changes of plasma homocysteine (Hcy) and brachial ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV) in patients with subclinical hypothyroidism, and discuss the relationship between subclinical hypothyroidism and arterial stiffness. MethodSeventy-three patients with subclinical hypothyroidism who were not treated before were divided into two groups according to thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) level between January 2013 and June 2014. There were 35 patients in group A (4 mU/L < TSH < 10 mU/L) and 38 in group B (TSH ≥ 10 mU/L). Another 30 healthy individuals were selected as controls. Hcy and baPWV were determined in all subjects. ResultsCompared with the controls, patients had significantly higher level of TSH, Hcy and baPWV in group A, and had significantly higher TSH, triacylglycerol (TG), low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL)-C, Hcy, and baPWV in group B (P<0.05). Compared with group A, TSH, TG, LDL-C, Hcy, and baPWV in group B patiens were significantly higher (P<0.05). Pearson correlation analysis showed that Hcy was positively correlated with TSH (r=0.353, P<0.01) and baPWV was positively correlated with TSH (r=0.416, P<0.01). ConclusionsHcy level and peripheric arterial stiffness increase in patients with subclinical hypothyroidism. Both of them are correlated positively with TSH.
Objective To explore the relevance of serum homocysteine (Hcy) level to erythrocyte and platelet parameters in patients with unstable angina pectoris (UAP). Methods Sixty patients with UAP were collected in Tongling Municipal Hospital from August 1st, 2012 to December 31st, 2015. Serum Hcy was measured by enzymatic cycling method. Erythrocyte parameters, such as red blood cell count (RBC), hemoglobin, mean corpuscular volume (MCV), coefficient of variation of red blood cell volume distribution width (RDW-CV), and platelet parameters, such as platelet count (PLT), platelet distribution width (PDW), mean platelet volume (MPV), platelet large cell ratio (P-LCR), were measured with blood cell counter. All patients were classified into UAP with hyperhomocystinemia (HHcy) group and UAP with normal Hcy group according to the level of Hcy. The data in two groups were analyzed and the relevance of serum Hcy level to erythrocyte and platelet parameters was evaluated. Results The differences in the levels of RBC, hemoglobin, MCV, PLT, PDW, MPV, P-LCR between the two groups were not statistically significant (P>0.05); while the levels of RDW-CV and the proportion of RDW-CV above the upper reference limit of patients in the UAP with HHcy group (13.81%±1.13%, 39.4%) were higher than those in the UAP with normal Hcy group (13.06%±0.97%, 4.8%), and the differences between the two groups were statistically significant (P<0.05). Correlation analysis showed that serum Hcy level of patients with UAP was significantly correlated with RDW-CV (r=0.380, P<0.01) and was not significantly correlated with other erythrocyte and platelet parameters (P>0.05). Conclusion The high level of Hcy affects red blood cell volume heterogeneity in patients with UAP, which may be one of the mechanisms of HHcy participating in the occurrence and development of UAP.
ObjectiveTo analyze insulin resistance in patients with cerebral infarction and its correlation with plasma homocysteine level. MethodsA total of 100 cerebral infarction patients diagnosed between July 2013 and August 2014 and 100 healthy physical examination subjects were included in our research. The plasma homocysteine level was detected; the levels of fasting plasma glucose and fasting insulin were detected at the same time. ResultsPlasma homocysteine level (34.95±14.55) μmol/L in patients with cerebral infarction was significantly higher than that of the control group (8.84±2.27) μmol/L (P<0.05). Insulin resistance index (6.24±3.15) in patients with cerebral infarction was significantly higher than that of the control group (2.19±0.63) (P<0.05). The plasma homocysteine level in the infarction group with insulin resistance was significantly higher than that in the infarction group without insulin resistance (P<0.05). The plasma homocysteine level in the infarction group without insulin resistance was significantly higher than that of the patients with insulin resistance in the control group (P<0.05). In the cerebral infarction group, insulin resistance index was positively correlated with plasma homocysteine level (r=0.600, P<0.01). ConclusionInsulin resistance and plasma homocysteine level play important roles in clinical cerebral infarction. Improving insulin resistance and decreasing plasma homocysteine level may be effective ways to reduce the incidence of cerebral infarction.
ObjectiveTo study the correlation between neck artery vascular sclerosis and homocysteine levels in hypertensive patients. MethodsA total of 2 132 patients with hypertension participated in the program of "Stroke screening and prevention in Dongying city" were included from Sep. 2012 to Jan. 2013. Questionnaire, physical examination, biochemical blood tests and carotid artery ultrasound were conducted in all included patients. According to the level of homocysteine (Hcy), patients were divided into three groups:716 patients with Hcy level less than 12.3 mm/L were in Group 1, 703 patients with Hcy level 12.3 to 16.5 mm/L were in Group 2, and 713 patients with Hcy level more than 16.5 mm/L were in Group 3. The influence of Hcy levels on carotid atherosclerosis was analyzed. Results① The prevalence rate for carotid plaques in Groups 1, 2, and 3 were 50.28%, 60.03% and 65.36%, respectively. The prevalence rate for carotid plaques in Group 2 was higher than that in Group 1 with a statistical difference (OR=1.485, 95% CI 1.203 to 1.833, P=0.000). The prevalence rate in Group 3 was also higher than that in Group 1 with a statistical difference (OR=1.866, 95% CI 1.508 to 2.308, P=0.000). ② The prevalence rate for carotid plaques was 62.24% in the rural population, and 52.39% in the urban population. The difference between urban and rural populations was statistically significant (OR=1.500, 95% CI 1.259 to 1.788, P=0.000). ③ Using the presence of carotid plaques as a dependent variable and Hcy level as a covariant, logistic regression analysis found that the plaque formation in Group 2 was 1.491 times than in Group 1 and the plaque formation in Group 3 was 1.752 times than in Group 1. After adjusting the risk factors (gender, age, BMI, TG, TC, LDL-C, HDL-C and blood sugar level), the results showed that the plaque formation in Group 2 was 1.388 times than in Group 1, and the plaque formation in Group 3 was 1.452 times than in Group 1. ConclusionThere is a correlation between the increased incidence of carotid plaque and homocysteine levels in patients with hypertension. The incidence of carotid plaque in the rural population with hypertension is higher than that in the urban population. In the population with hypertension, high homocysteine level is an independent risk factor for the formation of carotid plaques.
Objective To observe the correlation between homocysteine (Hcy) and serum uric acid (SUA) and retinopathy in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), preliminary study on its predictive value. MethodsA retrospective study. From January 2020 to March 2021, a total of 324 T2DM patients hospitalized in Department of Endocrinology, Cangzhou Central Hospital of Hebei Province were included. Fasting blood glucose (FBG), glycated hemoglobin (HbA1C), triglycerides (TG), low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), serum creatinine (Scr), blood urea nitrogen (BUN), Hcy, SUA, peripheral blood endothelial progenitor cells (EPC), circulating endothelial cells (CEC) were counted and homeostasis model assessment for insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) was calculated. According to the absence or presence of diabetic retinopathy (DR), the patients were divided into non DR (NDR) group and DR group with 100 and 214 cases, respectively. Clinical data and laboratory biochemical indexes of the two groups were compared and observed. The logistic regression was used to analyze the independent risk factors for DR in T2DM patients. Smooth curve fitting was used to analyze the curve relationship between Hcy, SUA and DR, and ROC area (AUC) of Hcy, SUA; their combined prediction of DR in T2DM patients was calculated by receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC curve), and the predictive value of Hcy and SUA for DR in T2DM patients was evaluated. ResultsDiabetic course (t=5.380), systolic blood pressure (t=2.935), hypertension (χ2=10.248), diabetic nephropathy (χ2=9.515), diabetic peripheral neuropathy (χ2=24.501), FBG (t=3.945), HbA1C (t=3.336) and TG in DR Group (t=2.898), LDL-C (t=3.986), Scr (t=2.139), SUA (t=7.138), HOMA-IR (t=3.237), BUN (t=3.609), Hcy (t=2.363) and CEC (t=19.396) were significantly higher than those in NDR group. The difference was statistically significant (P＜0.05). EPC (t=9.563) and CPC (t=7.684) levels were significantly lower than those of NDR group, and the difference was statistically significant (P＜0.05). Logistic regression analysis showed that diabetes course, SBP, hypertension, FBG, HbA1C, LDL-C, SUA, Hcy, EPC, CPC and CEC were all independent risk factors for developing DR in T2DM patients (P＜0.05). The smooth curve fitting analysis showed that Hcy and SUA were positively correlated with the occurrence of DR. After adjusting for confounding factors, when Hcy≥15 μmol/L, the risk of DR Increased by 14% for every 1 μmol/L increase in Hcy [odds ratio (OR)=0.92, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.88-0.98, P＜0.05]. When Hcy＜15 μmol/L, there was no significant difference (OR=0.96, 95%CI 0.92-1.08, P＞0.05). When SUA≥304 μmol/L, the risk of DR increased by 17%, every 20 μmol/L SUA increased (OR=0.80, 95%CI 0.68-0.94, P＜0.05). When SUA＜304 μmol/L, the difference was not statistically significant (OR=0.83, 95%CI 0.72-0.95, P＞0.05). ROC curve analysis results showed that the AUC values of Hcy, SUA and Hcy combined with SUA in predicting the occurrence of DR in T2DM patients were 0.775 (95%CI 0.713-0.837, P＜0.001), 0.757 (95%CI 0.680-0.834, P＜0.001) and 0.827 (95%CI 0.786-0.868, P＜0.001). Hcy combined with SUA showed better predictive efficiency. ConclusionsThe abnormal increase of Hcy and SUA levels in T2DM patients are closely related to the occurrence of DR, they are independent risk factors for the occurrence of DR. Hcy combined with SUA has high predictive value for the occurrence of DR.
ObjectiveTo investigate the relationship between the level of homocysteine (HCY) and the overall burden of cerebral small vessel disease (CSVD) in patients with ischemic stroke.MethodsA total of 322 patients with first-ever ischemic stroke admitted to the People’s Hospital of Deyang City between January 2016 and December 2017 were enrolled. The patients’ demographic information, clinical information, and serum HCY concentration were collected after admission. The presence or absence of a CSVD was assessed by MRI and the overall burden score for the CSVD was determined. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to assess whether serum HCY level was associated with the overall burden of CSVD.ResultsThe median level of HCY was 13.2 μmol/L (inter-quartile range: 4.3 to 22.6 μmol/L). Univariate analysis showed that the difference of HCY levels among patients with different total CSVD scores was statistically significant (F=6.874, P=0.001); Spearman correlation analyses showed that the HCY level grouped by quartiles was correlated to the number of lacunar infarctions (rs=0.267, P=0.001), Fazekas score of white matter lesions (rs=0.122, P=0.042), and enlarged perivascular space (EPV) score (rs=0.319, P=0.001), but was not correlated to cerebral microhemorrhage (rs=−0.010, P=0.869). After multivariate regression analysis to adjust the effects of other factors, compared with the patients with HCY levels in the lowest quartile group, the patients with HCY levels in the highest quartile group were more likely to develop lacunar infarction [odds ratio (OR)=1.892, 95% confidence interval (CI) (1.012, 2.987)], white matter lesions [OR=1.548, 95%CI (1.018, 1.654)], severe EPV [OR=6.347, 95%CI (3.592, 13.978)], and the increase in the CSVD score [OR=2.981, 95%CI (1.974, 5.398)].ConclusionIn patients with ischemic stroke, elevated HCY levels may be associated with the overall burden of the CSVD.