8 Determination of Plasma Homocysteine

A number of epidemiological and clinical studies have linked elevated plasma homocysteine (Hcy) to atherosclerotic vascular disease affecting coronary, carotid, and peripheral vessels. Plasma Hcy can be considered a marker of methionine metabolic efficiency, mainly affected by dietary intake of vitamins, especially folate, vitamin B₆ , and B₁₂ , as well as by genetic mutations of key metabolic enzymes and renal elimination.