Asymptomatic Mongolian middle-aged women with high homocysteine blood level and atherosclerotic disease

Growing numbers of studies have shown that hyperhomocysteinemia is an independent, modifiable risk factor for cardiovascular diseases. Hyperhomocysteinemia has been found to be negatively associated with the vitamin B group, especially folate and cobalamin. Because of the relative scarcity of fruits and vegetables in Mongolian foods, and the high cardiovascular diseases rate in Mongolia, we examined homocysteine level and its relation with atherosclerotic change in middle-aged Mongolian women. This cross-sectional study included 79 female asymptomatic residents of Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. Besides analysis of homocysteine and chemistry tests, participants were interviewed and underwent physical and Doppler ultrasound examination of extracranial vessels. The mean homocysteine level was 9.87 +/- 3.6 mu mol/l, and the 2.5th and 97.5th percentiles were 2.2 mu mol/l and 19.9 mu mol/l. Participants with abnormal Doppler ultrasound finding had significantly higher homocysteine levels (12.8 +/- 4.5 mu mol/l vs 8.7 +/- 2.3 mu mol/l, P < 0.001) and homocysteine was significantly associated with having atherosclerotic change (odds ratio 2.2, 95% confidence interval = 1.42-3.49, P < 0.001) after adjustment for age, low-density lipoprotein, diastolic blood pressure, and body mass index. Hyperhomocysteinemia was found to be significantly associated with atherosclerotic change in female Mongolian adults. Further studies are necessary to determine factors associated with homocysteine elevation among the Mongolian population.