Association between hyperhomocysteinaemia and hypertension in Sri Lankans

This study examined the relationship between homocysteine and its metabolit es, and hypertension in a cohort of Sri Lankan patients with essential hype rtension, Serum homocysteine, cysteine, cysteinylglycine and glutathione we re measured in 86 patients with a diagnosis of essential hypertension and c ompared with those of an age- and sex-matched control group, Patients with hypertension had significantly higher mean serum concentrations of homocyst eine, cysteine and cysteinylglycine, The odds ratio for hypertension for th ose with a mean serum homocysteine concentration above 18 mu mol/l was 2.8. Hyperhomocysteinaemia is a risk factor for hypertension in Sri Lankans and can lead to a threefold increase in risk.