Plasma homocysteine level and its impact factors among community population aged 30 years and above in Hunan province

  Objective  To investigate plasma homocysteine (Hcy) level and related factors of hyper homocysteinemia (HHcy) among community adults of 30 years old and above in Hunan province for providing evidences for prevention and control of cardiovascular disease in the population.

  Methods  We recruited 4 012 permanent residents≥30 years old from 24 urban and rural communities in 6 municipalities of Hunan province using stratified random cluster sampling and conducted a questionnaire survey, physical examination and laboratory test among the participants from June 2013 to May 2014. Chi-square test and multivariate logistic regression analysis were used to analyze the prevalence and impact factors of HHcy.

  Results  In the participants, the mean Hcy level was 13.77 ± 7.68 μmol/L, and the overall prevalence rate of HHcy was 35.4 %, with the rate of 45.3% and 28.5% for the males and the females. There were significant differences in gender, age, smoking, alcohol drinking, prevalence of hypertension, and plasma contents of uric acid (UA), creatinine (Scr), triglyceride (TG) and cholesterol (TC) between the participants with and without HHcy (all P < 0.01). Pearson′s product-moment correlation analysis demonstrated that Hcy level was positively correlated with age, Scr, UA, TC, and TG, with the correlation coefficients of 0.068, 0.072, 0.138, 0.109, and 0.266, respectively (all P < 0.01). The results of multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that main risk factors for HHcy included male gender (odds ratio OR = 1.307, 95% confidence interval 95% CI: 1.078 – 1.585), smoking (OR = 1.294, 95% CI: 1.053 – 1.589), hypertension (OR = 3.707, 95% CI: 3.195 – 4.302), hypercholesterolemia (OR = 1.276, 95% CI: 1.175 – 1.386), hypertriglycerids (OR = 3.993, 95% CI: 2.960 – 5.388), hyperuricemia (OR = 1.002, 95% CI: 1.001 – 1.003), and hypercreatinine (OR = 1.004, 95% CI: 1.001 – 1.008).

  Conclusion  The prevalence rate of HHcy is higher in males than in females and the rate increases with the increment of age and mainly influenced by gender, smoking, hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, hypertriglycerids, hyperuricemia, and hypercreatinine among urban and rural community adults in Hunan province.