Relationship of B-vitamins (Vitamin B12, B6 and Folic Acid) and Coronary Artery Disease in Pakistan

Background: Coronary artery disease is one of the most lethal diseases in Pakistani population and vitamin deficiency is common in this country. Aim: Present study was carried out to find a probable relationship between vitamin B12, B6 and Folic acid and coronary artery disease in Pakistani population. Methodology: A cross sectional study was carried out. A total of 40, angiographically diagnosed male patients of coronary artery disease, between 30 – 45 years of age were taken as cases. A same number of age, sex and socioeconomically matched normal healthy male subjects with normal carotid doppler study were taken as controls. Fasting venous blood was obtained from all the cases and controls in E.D.T.A vacutainers. Plasma was analyzed for vitamin B12 and folic acid levels using competitive protein binding radioassay and for vitamin B6 (PLP, a co-enzymic form of vitamin B6) using radioenzymatic assay. Results: Mean plasma vitamin B12 concentration in coronary artery disease patients was found to be lower than the mean for controls (150.25 ± 135.98 pmol/L vs 204 ± 92.26 pmol/L). Plasma folic acid levels were also lower in patients than in the controls (12.11 ± 17.35 nmol/L vs 28.47 ± 37.23 nmol/L). The levels of vitamin B6 were also low in patients than in controls (8.26 ± 6.18 nmol/L vs 11.82 ± 9.24 nmol/L).The results also showed an inverse relation between the vitamin B12, B6 and folic acid levels and the extent of coronary artery disease as shown by the number of coronary blood vessels blocked. Conclusion: There is an inverse relationship between the plasma vitamin levels and coronary artery disease. It may therefore be concluded that the deficiency of Bvitamins (B12, B6 and folic acid) may be aggravating the risk of coronary artery disease through an interplay with the classical risk factors of coronary artery disease.