Homocysteine

Benefits of the Randox Homocysteine Assay

circle

Two-part liquid ready-to-use

The Randox homocysteine assay is available in a two-part liquid ready-to-use format, limiting interference from bilirubin, haemoglobin, triglycerides and intralipid®, producing more accurate and precise results.

circle

Exceptional correlation

The Randox homocysteine assay is standardised to the NIST SRM 1955 (Homocysteine Standard Reference Material) displaying a correlation coefficient of r=0.98 when compared to industry comparative methods.

circle

Excellent measuring range

The Randox homocysteine assay has a measuring range of 1.7 – 47.9 μmol/l for the comfortable detection of clinically important results.

circle

Calibrator included in the kit

The Randox homocysteine kit includes the calibrator simplifying the ordering process.

circle

Controls available

Controls available offering a complete testing package.

circle

Applications available

Applications available detailing instrument-specific settings for the convenient use of the Randox homocysteine assay on a variety of clinical chemistry analysers.

Ordering information

Cat No	Size
HY4036	R1 2 x 21.7ml (C)(L) R2 2 x 4.6ml	Enquire Kit Inserts Requests View MSDS Buy Online

(L) Indicates liquid option
(S) Indicates standard included in kit

Instrument Specific Applications (ISA's) are available for a wide range of biochemistry analysers. Contact us to enquire about your specific analyser.

Physiological Significance

Homocysteine is a sulfur-containing amino acid produced by the intracellular demethylation of the essential amino acid, methionine. Homocysteine has three metabolic functions within the human body: firstly, to be remethylated into methionine; secondly, to enter the biosynthetic pathway of cysteine; and thirdly, to be released into the extracellular medium (blood and urine). The third metabolic function is the direct cause of elevated homocysteine concentrations in urine and plasma ^{1, 2}.

Clinical Significance

Hyperhomocysteinemia (elevated levels of homocysteine) has been identified in numerous conditions and disease states including, cardiovascular disease (atherosclerosis and thrombosis), pregnancy complications, psoriasis, cognitive impairment in the elderly, mental disorders, neural tube defects and birth defects ^{1, 2}.

Women with elevated levels of homocysteine have a 3-fold increased risk of CVD, whereas men have a 2-fold increased risk ³. Hyperhomocysteinemia correlates with an increased risk of colorectal cancer with elevated homocysteine levels being highly prevalent in patients with inflammatory bowel diseases which is believed to be associated with either an increased or decreased absorption of folate and other B vitamins ⁴. Hyperhomocysteinemia was associated with a 2 to 3-fold increased risk of abrupyio placentae, pregnancy-induced hypertension, and intrauterine growth restriction ⁵.