ABSTRACT
Objective To investigate the correlation between serum HCY (Homocysteine) and carotid artery stenosis,plaque stability in patients with ischemic cerebrovascular disease.Methods 154 patients with ischemic cerebrovascular disease in Tangdu Hospital were enrolled in the study from June to December 2016.The serum levels of HCY were detected.CT angiography (CTA) was uesd for patients with neck vascular scanning.According to the difference of serum HCY level,patients were divided into 80 cases of high HCY group (observation group) and 74 cases of normal HCY group (control group).The degree of carotid artery stenosis,number and stability of plaque were compared between the two groups and the correlation between serum HCY level and degree of carotid artery stenosis and plaque stability were analyzed.Results The total stenosis rate in the observation group was significantly higher than that in the control group,the moderate stenosis rate and severe stenosis rate in the observation group were significantly higher than those in the control group,with the statistically significant differences (x2 =5.594～ 22.506,all P＜0.05).The levels of serum HCY in mild,moderate and severe stenosis group were 13.16 ± 6.73,15.19± 5.93 and 26.13 ±11.18 μmol/L respectively.The levels of H CY in moderate stenosis group and severe stenosis group were significantly higher than that in mild stenosis group,and the levels of HCY in severe stenosis group was significantly higher than that in moderate stenosis group,with the statistically significant differences (t=2.684～ 5.270,all P＜0.01).The rate of carotid plaque in the observation group was significantly higher than that in the control group,and the differences statistically significant (x2 =25.053,P＜0.01).The rate of unstable plaque and mixed plaque in the observation group was significantly higher than that in the control group,and the rate of stable plaque was significantly lower than that in the control group (x2 =4.067～ 14.95,all P＜0.05).The levels of serum HCY in stable plaque group,mixed plaque group and unstable plaque group were 16.14±5.49,21.91 ± 6.32 and 26.74 ± 10.59 μmol/L respectively.The levels of HCY in mixed plaque group and unstable plaque group were significantly higher than that in stable plaque group,and the differences were statistically significant (t=4.370,4.628,all P＜0.01).The level of HCY in unstable plaque group was significantly higher than that in mixed plaque group,and the difference was statistically significant (t =2.249,P＜ 0.05).Conclusion Serum HCY levels were closely related to carotid artery stenosis and plaque stability.Hyperhomocysteinemia can increase the incidence and degree of carotid artery stenosis as well as the number of carotid plaques and unstable plaques.