Association of Homocysteine with Acute Stroke and Its Subtypes in the Chinese Population

PURPOSE: Homocysteine (Hcy) is recognized as a risk factor for stroke. Our study examined the relationship between plasma Hcy levels and stroke, along with its subtypes, among Chinese patients who experienced an acute stroke episode. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We retrospectively enrolled patients with acute stroke and age- and sex-matched healthy controls admitted to the First Affiliated Hospital of Xi’an Jiaotong University from October 2021 to September 2022. Ischemic stroke subtypes were classified using the modified TOAST criteria. Multivariate logistic regression models were employed to probe the associations of plasma Hcy levels with total stroke, ischemic stroke and its subtypes, and hypertensive intracerebral hemorrhage (HICH), and the correlation between plasma Hcy levels and the National Institute of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS). RESULTS: The mean age of the total group was 63 years, with women representing 30.6% (246 individuals). Elevated Hcy levels were significantly associated with total stroke (OR 1.054, 95% CI: 1.038–1.070), HICH (OR 1.040, 95% CI: 1.020–1.060), ischemic stroke (OR 1.049, 95% CI: 1.034–1.065), and the TOAST subtypes of ischemic stroke in large-artery atherosclerosis (LAA) (OR 1.044, 95% CI: 1.028–1.062) and small-artery occlusion (SAO) (OR 1.035, 95% CI: 1.018–1.052), but not with cardioembolic (CE) stroke. Moreover, only in the case of SAO stroke were the Hcy levels positively correlated with the NIHSS score (B=0.030, 95% CI: 0.003–0.056, P=0.030). CONCLUSION: Plasma Hcy levels were found to be positively correlated with the risk of stroke, particularly in the context of LAA, SAO stroke, and HICH. Additionally, Hcy levels demonstrated a positive correlation with stroke severity in patients presenting with SAO stroke. These findings suggest potential clinical implications in stroke prevention, particularly for ischemic stroke (LAA, SAO subtypes) and HICH by employing homocysteine-lowering therapies. Future investigations are warranted to fully elucidate these associations.