To investigate the correlation between the plasma homocysteine (Hcy) level and intra/extracranial artery stenosis in patients with ischemic stroke.

The medical history, baseline clinical data, imaging and Hcy and other laboratory test results in patients with ischemic stroke were collected. The patients were divided into either a stenosis group or a non-stenosis group according to magnetic resonance angiography. The artery stenosis group was further redivided into an isolated intracranial stenosis group, an isolated extracranial stenosis group, and combined extracranial and intracranial stenosis group. The relationship between plasma Hcy level and intra/extracranial stenosis was analyzed.

A total 147 patients with ischemic stroke were enrolled, including 115 patients in the stenosis group and 32 in the non-stenosis group. There were significant differences in age (t=4.577, P<0.001), the plasma levels of Hcy (t=3.65, P<0.001), C-reactive protein (t=2.06, P=0.041), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) (t=1.896, P=0.046), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) (t=-4.261, P<0.001), as well as the proportions of diabetes mellitus ( χ²=5.772, P=0.016), hypertension ( χ²=10.507, P=0.001) and smoking ( χ²=12.282, P<0.001) between the stenosis group and the non-stenosis group. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that age ≥60 years (odds ratio[OR] 3.374, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.351-8.426; P=0.009), Hcy >15 mmol/L (OR 2.274, 95% CI 1.147-8.173; P=0.025), hypertension (OR 5.782, 95% CI 2.045-16.345; P=0.001), and smoking (OR 3.514, 95% CI 1.200-10.293; P=0.002) were the independent risk factors, while HDL-C >1.0 mmol/L was an independent protective factor for intra/extracranial stenosis (OR 0.166, 95% CI 0.054-0.511; P=0.002). The stenosis group was redivided into an isolated extracranial stenosis group (n=24), an isolated intracranial stenosis group (n=61) and a combined extracranial and intracranial stenosis (n=30) according to the sites of stenosis. The comparison of the clinical data and risk factors among the three groups showed that there were significant differences in the proportions of patients with hypertension ( χ²=7.024, P=0.003), as well as the plasma levels of LDL-C (F=3.276, P=0.042) and C-reactive protein (F=3.645, P=0.029). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that hypertension was the common independent risk factor for isolated intracranial stenosis (OR 3.795, 95% CI 1.261-11.424; P=0.018), isolated extracranial artery stenosis (OR 18.490, 95% CI 3.117-10.966; P=0.001) and combined extracranial and intracranial stenosis (OR 9.178, 95% CI 2.211-38.094; P=0.002), and the increased HDL-C level was the common protective factor for isolated intracranial artery stenosis (OR 0.150, 95% CI 0.043-0.523; P=0.003), isolated extracranial artery stenosis (OR 0.078, 95% CI 0.012-0.488; P=0.006) and combined extracranial and intracranial stenosis (OR 0.089, 95% CI 0.021-0.385; P=0.001). Age was an independent risk factor for isolated intracranial stenosis (OR 6.351, 95% CI 2.277-17.717; P<0.001). The increased LDL-C level was an independent risk factor for isolated extracranial stenosis (OR 6.021, 95% CI 1.212-29.917; P=0.028). The increased Hcy level was an independent risk factor for isolated extracranial stenosis (OR 4.376, 95% CI 1.026-18.671; P=0.046) and combined extracranial and intracranial stenosis (OR 4.951, 95% CI 1.378-17.783; P=0.014).

The increased plasma Hcy level correlated with extracranial stenosis.

Stroke; Brain Ischemia; Cerebrovascular Disorders; Intracranial Arteriosclerosis; Homocysteine; Risk Factors