Association between plasma homocysteine and peripheral arterial disease in older persons

Background. Plasma homocysteine is a risk factor for peripheral arterial disease. Methods. In a cross-sectional study design we investigated the association between plasma homocysteine, vitamin B₁₂ and folate concentrations, and the prevalence of peripheral arterial disease in 158 men and 362 women, mean age 81 ± 8 years. Results. Univariate analysis showed that plasma homocysteine, vitamin B₁₂ (inverse association) and folate (inverse association) concentrations and increased plasma homocysteine and low or indeterminate vitamin B₁₂ concentrations were risk factors for peripheral arterial disease in older men and women. Stepwise multiple logistic regression analysis showed that significant independent risk factors for peripheral arterial disease were a greater value of plasma homocysteine (P = 0.0001; odds ratio = 1.125) and a low value of plasma folate (P = 0.0001; odds ratio = 0.709). Conclusions. High plasma concentrations of homocysteine and low plasma concentrations of folate are significant independent risk factors for peripheral arterial disease in older men and women.