The Evaluation of Fasting Plasma Homocystein Levels in Type II Diabetic Patients with or Without Peripheric Arterial Disease

Abstract

During the management of patients with diabetes mellitus, almost all patients are evaluated for coronary heart disease but the lesser percentage of diabetic patients are evaluated for peripheral arterial disease, which causes a delay in the diagnosis. It is well known that high plasma homocystein level is associated with arterial and venouse thrombosis, stroke, myocardial infraction and chronic renal failure. The serum level of homocystein is affected by genetical defects of metabolism (such as enzyme defects), chronical disorders, vitamine and calory insufficiencies, demographic characteristics (age, sex, etc.) and some medications. In our study, the fasting plasma homocystein levels among type II diabetes mellitus patients with or without peripheral arterial disease were investigated. Group I Including 36 patients had type II diabetes mellitus with peripheral arterial disease (26 male and 10 female). Group II including 34 patients had type II diabetes mellitus without peripheral arterial disease (11 male and 19 female). Different biochemical parameters and fasting homocysteine levels were measured in each subjects. We showed that there was a negative mild correlation between creatinine clearance and homocysteine levels; while there were no siginificant correlations between homocysteine and serum cholesterol, triglyceride, LDL and HDL-cholesterol and fibrinogen levels. Finally we didn't find any correlation in the levels of homocysteine between the group of patients with or without peripheral artery disease, but the homocysteine levels of patients with ischemic heart disease were higher than the patients without ischemic heart disease.