Comparison of Vitamin B12 Levels and Cardiovascular Disease Risk Groups

Vitamin B12 is a water-soluble vitamin involved in various metabolic processes. It plays a crucial role in the prevention of anemia, the maintenance of healthy neuronal function, and DNA synthesis. Moreover, vitamin B12 acts as a cofactor in homocysteine metabolism. Elevated homocysteine levels have been associated with a range of endothelial alterations and have been linked to cardiovascular diseases (CVD). In Turkey, CVD-related mortality remains the leading cause of death. However, the relationship between vitamin B12 deficiency and the risk of CVD has not yet been clearly established in the academic literature. In this retrospective cross-sectional study, we aimed to compare individuals' vitamin B12 levels across different CVD risk groups. A total of 128 participants were included, with 32 individuals in each risk group. Using the SCORE (Systemic Coronary Risk Evaluation) risk model, we compared vitamin B12 levels across four CVD risk categories. The differences in vitamin B12 levels among the CVD risk groups were not statistically significant (p=0.209), and no correlation was found (p>0.05). Given that cardiovascular diseases continue to pose a major public health concern, further studies are needed to identify additional parameters that may assist in the identification of high-risk individuals.