β-Fibrinogen Gene −455G/A Polymorphism and Coronary Heart Disease Incidence: The Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) Study
Abstract
PURPOSE: The −455G/A (HaeIII) polymorphism of the β-fibrinogen gene influences levels of plasma fibrinogen. We determined whether it influences risk of coronary heart disease.
METHODS: We conducted a case-cohort study nested within a prospective investigation, the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study. We accumulated 398 incident coronary heart disease cases over a median of 5.3 years of follow-up and compared their −455G/A status with a random sample of the cohort .
RESULTS: Plasma fibrinogen was higher in AA homozygous participants (341 mg/dL) than in persons carrying the G allele: GA (290 mg/dL), GG (298 mg/dL). However, there was no significant association between −455G/A and incident CHD.
CONCLUSIONS: Although a small effect cannot be excluded, −455G/A does not appear to be an important genetic determinant of CHD.
aDivision of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN (A.R.F.); Division of Hematology (N.A., K.K.W.) and Section of Clinical Epidemiology (C.A.), University of Texas Medical School, Houston, TX USA
band Human Genetics Center and Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Texas, Houston Health Science Center, Houston, TX (E.B.) USA.
Address reprint requests to: Aaron R. Folsom, M.D., Division of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, University of Minnesota, Suite 300, 1300 South Second Street, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55454–1015
ABSTRACT
