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Background and Aim: Along with the development of cardiac diagnostic procedures, new risk factors ,such as homocysteine role in cardiovascular disease, have been proposed. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the levels of homocysteine and total antioxidant capacity in patients with acute myocardial infarction compared with the control group.

Materials and Methods: A case-control study was conducted on 45 patients with myocardial infarction admitted to Vali-e-asr hospital in Birjand and 45 healthy people matched with the case group.Total antioxidant capacity applying FRAP method and homocysteine levels were measured using ELISA The obtained data was analyzed by means of SPSS software at the significant level P <0.05.

Results: There was no statistically significant difference in terms of age, sex, body mass index, lipid profile and fasting blood glucose between two groups. Total antioxidant capacity in case and control groups, respectively 837.86±175.07 and 981.91±276.57 µmol/L and average level of homocysteine in the case and control groups, 15.77±8.09 and 12.19±6.75 respectively.Statistical analysis showed that the antioxidant capacity in the patient group was significantly lower than the control group (P=0.004) and no significant difference in the levels of homocysteine in both groups (P = 0.11).

Conclusion: The study showed that oxidative stress and low antioxidant capacity can be associated with the pathogenesis of MI; and more studies are required to confirm the relationship between homocysteine and cardiovascular disease.