Abstract
BACKGROUND: Coronary artery disease (CAD) is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality globally, with elevated homocysteine levels increasingly recognized as an independent risk factor. This meta-analysis aims to evaluate the relationship between homocysteine levels and CAD risk by pooling data from multiple studies. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A comprehensive meta-analysis was conducted using data from 25 studies. Random-effects models were used to calculate pooled odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI), accounting for heterogeneity among studies. RESULTS: The pooled results showed a significant association between elevated homocysteine levels and increased risk of CAD, with a combined OR indicating a moderate but consistent effect size across studies. CONCLUSION: Elevated homocysteine levels are significantly associated with an increased risk of CAD. These findings support the incorporation of homocysteine measurement into cardiovascular risk assessment protocols.