ABSTRACT

The aim is to investigate the relationship between plasma homocysteine levels and acute ischemic stroke in Turkish patients.

Our study included 41 patients with acute ischemic stroke and 20 controls. All patients were examined within 24 h after symptom onset. Stroke was defi ned as acute onset of focal neurological defi cits and then confi rmed by computed tomography fi ndings. Homocysteine was measured on admission.

The mean homocysteine levels in patients with ischemic stroke and controls were 22.92±17.49 micromol/L and 11.18±4.68 micromol/L, respectively, the diff erence being statistically signifi cant (p<0.02).

The results of the present study showed that Hcy levels were signifi cantly higher in patients admitted with acute ischemic stroke. Therefore, we consider that high plasma Hcy levels should be further evaluated as a risk factor.

Keywords: Homocysteine, ischemic stroke, risk factor