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Serum homocysteine, creatinine, and glucose as predictors of the severity and extent of coronary artery disease in asymptomatic members of high‐risk families
Author(s) -
Pajunen P.,
Syvänne M.,
Nieminen M. S.,
Kareinen A.,
Viitanen L.,
Lehto S.,
Laakso M.
Publication year - 2002
Publication title -
european journal of clinical investigation
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.164
H-Index - 107
eISSN - 1365-2362
pISSN - 0014-2972
DOI - 10.1046/j.1365-2362.2002.01019.x
Subject(s) - medicine , coronary artery disease , creatinine , cardiology , diabetes mellitus , homocysteine , asymptomatic , albuminuria , atheroma , quartile , risk factor , framingham risk score , angiography , renal function , disease , endocrinology , confidence interval
Background There has been no previous study to determine the severity and extent of coronary artery disease (CAD) in subjects with no diagnosis or symptoms of CAD at the time of the angiography. Methods Fifty‐three subjects, who were siblings of patients with early onset CAD, underwent coronary angiography. Indices to describe per‐patient characteristics of CAD were calculated, based on computer‐aided quantitative coronary angiography. Clinical and laboratory characteristics were correlated to the angiographic parameters. Results Serum total homocysteine (ρ = 0·29, P < 0·05) and creatinine (ρ = 0·47, P = 0·001) levels were related to the global atheroma burden index. The median of the atheroma burden index was two times higher in the top homocysteine quartile compared to the lowest quartile. The overall atheroma burden index correlated significantly with the fasting blood glucose level in all subjects. Diabetes, especially when albuminuria was present, was a powerful risk factor. In a multivariate analysis, only age and sex were independent predictors of atheroma burden. Conclusions Serum homocysteine and creatinine concentrations, and diabetes with albuminuria were found to be markers of the severity and extent of CAD in subjects of high‐risk families without symptoms of CAD.