Homocistéina e metilenotetrahidrofolato redutase em indivíduos submetidos à angiografia coronariana

OBJETIVO: Determinar os niveis plasmaticos de homocisteina e a incidencia do polimorfismo C677T no gene da enzima metilenotetrahidrofolato redutase (MTHFR) em um grupo de individuos submetidos a angiografia coronariana, buscando estabelecer a possivel correlacao entre esses parâmetros e a gravidade da doenca arterial coronariana (DAC), bem como investigar a correlacao entre hiper-homocisteinemia e a presenca do polimorfismo. METODOS: Vinte individuos com ausencia de ateromatose nas coronarias (controles), quatorze individuos apresentando ateromatose leve/moderada e vinte e nove individuos apresentando ateromatose grave foram avaliados. RESULTADOS: Para o parâmetro homocisteina foram observadas diferencas significativas entre as medias dos grupos controle e ateromatose grave (p OBJECTIVE: To determine plasma homocysteine levels and the incidence of methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) gene C677T polymorphism in a group of subjects who underwent coronary angiography, in an attempt to establish a correlation between these parameters and the severity of coronary artery disease (CAD), as well as investigate the correlation between hyperhomocysteinemia and the presence of polymorphism. METHODS: Twenty subjects with no coronary atheromatosis (controls), fourteen subjects with mild/moderate atheromatosis, and twenty-nine subjects with severe atheromatosis were evaluated. RESULTS: Significant differences were observed in mean homocysteine levels between the control and the severe atheromatosis groups (p 70 percent; yet, whether elevated plasma homocysteine worsens atherosclerosis or is a consequence remains to be established.(AU)