[The distribution of serum homocysteine and its associated factors in a population of 1 168 subjects in Beijing area].

OBJECTIVE

To describe serum homocysteine distribution and its associated factors in population of urban and rural areas in Beijing.

METHODS

The study population was represented by a randomly selected sample with 1 168 subjects, including both males and females aged 35 - 64. The levels of serum homocycteine were compared and the correlation with other risk factors were analyzed statistically.

RESULTS

(1) Geometric mean of serum homocycteine was 15.4 micromol/L in males and 12.2 micromol/L in females (P < 0.001). (2) There was a significant difference in homocysteine levels between urban population and rural population. Men from rural area had 1.5 times higher homocyteine than from urban (18.0 micromol/L vs 12.0 micromol/L, P < 0.001), while the rural women had 1.3 times higher homocysteine level than urban women did. (3) The prevalence rate of hyperhomocysteinemia was 15.3% in population aged 35 - 64 in Beijing area. (4) Gender, residential location (urban or rural), smoking and education had independent effects on level of serum homocysteine by multivariate analysis.

CONCLUSION

Population in Beijing had higher serum level and prevalence rate of homocysteine than some western countries. Gender, geographic distribution, smoking and education had some influence on homocysteine level.