A curve model for association of serum homocysteine with carotid artery hemodynamics

Purpose: To investigate the correlation between carotid artery hemodynamics and serum homocysteine.
Methods: A total of 894 participants made up of 439 male (49.11 %) and 455 female (50.89 %) from Ma’anshan, China, enrolled in the cross-sectional study. Data collection included demographics, blood sample and carotid ultrasonography. Piecewise linear regression analysis was used to analyze the relationship between serum homocysteine and carotid artery hemodynamics.
Results: Homocysteine (Hcy) levels were divided into four groups by quartiles. The populations of the groups were 226, 220, 222, 226; and their mean ages were 56.52 ± 10.49, 62.27 ± 10.06, 63.42 ± 9.81 and 65.38 ± 10.56 years, respectively. After adjustment for blood biochemical and demographics factors, U-shaped and S-shaped curves were as observed between Hcy and carotid artery hemodynamics. The adjusted regression analysis showed that the threshold values of Hcy with end diastolic velocity (EDV) of right common carotid artery (CCA) were 12.50 and 19.00, while for the EDV of right internal carotid artery (ICA), the values were 11.50 and 22.00. U-shaped curves were observed between Hcy and peak systolic velocity (PSV) of left CCA, EDV of left CCA, PSV of left ICA and EDV of left ICA. The threshold values of Hcy with PSV of left CCA, EDV of left CCA, PSV of left ICA and EDV of left ICA were 14.00, 14.00, 14.00 and 13.50, respectively.
Conclusion: These results indicate that a significant correlation exists between homocysteine at different concentrations and carotid artery hemodynamics.

Keywords
Homocysteine; Hemodynamics; End diastolic velocity; Peak systolic velocity