ASSOCIATION BETWEEN PLASMA HOMOCYSTEINE AND PERIPHERAL ARTERIAL-DISEASE IN OLDER PERSONS

Background Plasma homocysteine is a risk factor for peripheral arteria l disease. Methods In a cross-sectional study design we investigated t he association between plasma homocysteine, vitamin B-12 and folate co ncentrations, and the prevalence of peripheral arterial disease in 158 men and 362 women, mean age 81 +/- 8 years. Results Univariate analys is showed that plasma homocysteine, vitamin B-12 (inverse association) and folate (inverse association) concentrations and increased plasma homocysteine and low or indeterminate vitamin B-12 concentrations were risk factors for peripheral arterial disease in older men and women, Stepwise multiple logistic regression analysis showed that significant independent risk factors for peripheral arterial disease were a great er value of plasma homocysteine (P = 0.0001; odds ratio = 1.125) and a low value of plasma folate (P = 0.0001; odds ratio = 0.709). Conclusi ons High plasma concentrations of homocysteine and low plasma concentr ations of folate are significant independent risk factors for peripher al arterial disease in older men and women. (C) 1998 Lippincott-Raven Publishers.