Plasma Homocysteine Level In OSAHS Patients With Ischemic Stroke

Objective To investigate the association between two risk factors for ischemic stroke——obstructive sleep apnea hypopnea syndrome (OSAHS) and plasma homocysteine level. Methods sixty first-ever ischemic stroke patients were tested for plasma homocysteine level after overnight fasting. Polysomnographic studies were performed to all subjects to determine whether OSAHS is present. 37 subjects meeting the diagnostic criteria for OSAHS (AHI≥5) were included in OSAHS group; OSAHS was absent in the other 23 subjects (AHI<5) who were recruited in the non-OSAHS group. Results 1. OSAHS patients with ischemic stroke had significantly higher homocysnteine levels than stroke patients without OSAHS (21.26±10.05μmol/L vs. 16.16±7.65μmol/L respectively, p<0.05); 2. In OSAHS group, there was a significantly higher prevalence of hyperhomocysteinemia than in non-OSAHS group (70.3% vs. 43.5% respectively, p<0.05); 3.Plasma homocysteine level was positively correlated with AHI (r=0.30, p<0.05), and negatively correlated with minimum oxygen saturation (r=-0.35, p<0.01). Conclusion Elevated plasma homocysteine level in OSAHS patients with ischemic stroke suggests a possible relationship between OSAHS and plasma homocysteine level.