[Hyperhomocysteinemia and cardiovascular risk in diabetes mellitus].

Cardiovascular disease is a major cause of death in diabetic subjects. Hyperglycaemia per se cannot explain this excess of risk. Several lines of evidence indicate that mild hyperhomocysteinemia is an independent atherosclerotic risk factor in general population. Hyperhomocysteinemia is not linked with diabetic disease per se, rather fasting homocysteine plasma levels largely depend on glomerular filtration rate (GFR). There is a great dial of controversy on the association between high homocysteine plasma levels and diabetic retinopathy and neuropathy. On the contrary, most of the studies confirm that hyperhomocysteinemia is an independent risk factor for cardiovascular disease associated with diabetes.