Sajjad Ali, Saima Sheikh, Mohammad Irfan, Rehan Anwar Chaudhry, Sumaira Hassan, Iqra Waheed.
Frequency of Elevated Homocysteine Level in patients Presented with Ischemic Stroke.
Annals Punjab Med Coll Jan ;15(2):117-20.

Background: A stroke is the rapidly developing focal or global neurological deficit due to disturbance in the blood vessels supplying to the brain. There is increasing proof that increased homocysteine concentration may act as independent risk factor for ischemic stroke. So, this study was done to find the elevated homocysteine in stroke patients. Objective: To determine the frequency of elevated homocysteine levels in patients presenting with ischemic stroke. Study Design: Cross sectional study. Settings: Department of Neurology, Mayo Hospital, Lahore, Pakistan. Duration: Six months from March to August 2011. Methodology: Patients detailed medical history, physical examination and demographics were stored electronically, moreover the blood samples were drawn under aseptic measures within 24 hours of stroke. For each patient, homocysteine level was assessed through standard procedures from the blood. Data was analyzed through SPSS version 20 and entered in Proforma. Results: Mean age of patients was 45.09 ± 5.36 years. Majority of the patients were male. 8(8.0%) patients were 20-30 years of age, 7(7.0%) patients were between 31-40 years old and 85(85%) patients were 41-50 years of age. Elevated homocysteine level was confirmed in 56 patients (56.0%). Conclusion: Homocysteine level was found to be frequently elevated in patients with ischemic stroke.

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