THROMBOSIS RESEARCH

Introduction: The aim of the present study was to investigate the association between premature coronary artery disease and Glu298Asp polymorphism of the endothelial nitric oxide synthase gene. Materials and methods: The eNOS gene polymorphism was analysed in 115 (mean age, 48.1 +/- 7.9 years) Turkish patients with a diagnosis of premature coronary artery disease and 83 (mean age, 44.6 +/- 1.4 years) control subjects. The Glu298Asp polymorphism of the endothelial nitric oxide synthase gene was determined by polymerase chain reaction and restriction fragment length polymorphism. Results: The patients group showed an increase in the frequency of the T allele compared to controls (0.456 versus 0.169, p=0.0001). There was a significant association between the TT genotype and premature coronary artery disease [eNOS TT vs. TG and GG; OR=17.000 (CI 95% 3.952-73.125, p=0.0001)]. The eNOS T/G genotypes were not associated with the number of affected vessels (p > 0.05). In addition, the family history of premature coronary artery disease, smoking, diabetes, obesity, dyslipidemia and eNOS TT genotype were independent risk factors of coronary artery disease. The patients with eNOS TT genotype had 15 fold risk of coronary artery disease compared with the control group [OR= I 5,356(Cl 95%3.262-77.289, p=0.001)]. Conclusions: These results suggest that premature coronary artery disease is associated with the Glu298Asp polymorphism of the endothelial nitric oxide synthase gene in our population. (c) 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved