Plasma homocysteine levels in Indian patients with essential hypertension and their siblings

Background. An association between plasma homocysteine and essential hypertension and their non-hypertensive siblings is controversial. Methods and Results. Plasma homocysteine levels were measured in subjects with essential hypertension (n = 50), their normotensive siblings (n = 50) and normotensive controls (n = 50). All the subjects were non-diabetic, had no past history of myocardial infarction, stroke or peripheral vascular disease and had normal renal functions. The mean homocysteine values were 18.96 +/- 8.08 mumol/L in patients, 14.84 +/- 5.55 mumol/L in siblings and 10.50 +/- 4.92 mumol/L in controls. Plasma homocysteine level were found to be significantly higher in patients with hypertension (p < 0.0001) and their normotensive siblings (p < 0.0001) when compared to controls. Also patients with hypertension had their higher plasma homocysteine levels compared to their siblings (p < 0.0036). Conclusion. Plasma homocysteine levels are significantly elevated in Indian patients with essential hypertension and their normotensive siblings. Thus, plasma homocysteine may serve as a marker for the development of essential hypertension.