Effect of Glycemic Control on Homocysteine Levels in Type 2 Diabetic Patients without Cardiovascular Disease

Background: An increased serum homocysteine level was accepted as an important risk factor for vascular disease, including coronary atherosclerosis. However, there was no data about the importance of glycemic control on homocysteine levels in type 2 diabetic patients without CVD. The aim of this study was to investigate association between serum homocysteine concentrations and glycemic control in type 2 diabetic patients without CVD.

Patients and Methods: Out of 100 diabetic patients, 50 were good glycemic control and 50 patients were poor glycemic control. Also we tested fifty healthy volunteers as controls. Degree of glycemic control in diabetic patients was evaluated by HbA1c concentration measurements. Serum homocysteine level was measured in patients with good or poor glycemic control, and healthy controls. The correlation of HbA1c and homocysteine concentrations was investigated.

Results: The results indicated HbA1c concentration and total serum levels of homocysteine in patients as whole are significantly higher than healthy subjects. HbA1c concentration is significantly higher in subgroup with poor glycemic control compared to subgroup with good glycemic control and healthy control group. However, there is no significant difference in homocysteine serum levels of patients with good and poor glycemic control.

Conclusions: The findings suggest elevation of serum homocysteine level in patients with type 2 diabetes, however there is not significant correlation between homocysteine concentrations and glycemic control in type 2 diabetes patients.