Association of Thrombophilic Gene Variant with Smoking as Risk Factors for Early Onset of Acute Coronary Syndrome

Abstract

Background: Coronary heart disease was commonly associated to specific risk factors as smoking, diabetes, dyslipidemia, and hypertension since Framingham study confirmed their role. However, a lot of reports in the Literature are focused to find further risk factor for coronary heart disease in particular for subjects with early onset of disease. Aim: The aim of the study was to look for an association between inherited thrombophilia and early onset of acute coro- nary syndrome. Patients and Methods: We selected 25 patients with acute coronary syndrome with early onset (i.e. 50 yy) and tested them for several thrombophilic gene variants. Other common risk factors for coronary heart disease were also considered in se- lected patients. Blood samples were taken from antecubital vein of selected patients and in order to extract DNA for gene analysis. Evaluated thrombophilic gene variants were the following: factor V Leiden gene variant, prothrombin A20210G gene variant, MTHFR C677T gene variant, ACE I\D gene variant, APO-B Arg-3500-Trp and Arg-3500-Gln mutations and APO-E Arg-112-Cys and Arg-158-Cys mutations. Results: Smoking was the only common risk factor for ACS significantly increased in the group with ACS compared to controls. No significant differences were found concerning diabetes, dyslipidemia, and hypertension in both groups. Ho- mozygosis for MTHFR C677T and ACE del\del gene variant were found to be more frequent in the group of subjects with ACS compared to control group. Discussion: Early onset of ACS seems to be associated to the presence of combined risk factors. In this panel, we may in- clude acquired common risk factors for ACS in particular smoking and such gene variant associated to thrombotic disor- ders as MTHFR C677T gene variant and ACE del\del genotype. Further studies are needed to confirm this association.