Association study on state-trait anxiety and apolipoprotein e gene polymorphism in patients with coronary heart disease

Abstract

Objective To investigate the genetic susceptibility and the relationship between apolipoprotein E( APOE) genotype and state-trait anxiety in patients with coronary heart disease (CHD). Methods Use the state-trait anxiety inventory (STAI) to investigate the state anxiety and trait anxiety of 107 CHD patients. According the score of SAI, the CHD patients were divided into CHD with high state anxiety group( n = 45) and low state anxiety group(n= 62); according the score of TAI, the CHD patients were divided into CHD with high trait anxiety group ( n = 39)and low trait anxiety group ( n = 68). The genotypes and alleles of apolipoprotein E gene was detected in all CHD patients and 50 healthy control subjects with the polymerase reaction ( PCR) and restriction fragment length polymorphisms (RFLP) technique. Results The frequency and rate of Apolipoprotein E genotype and alle gene was not significant difference between CHD with high state anxiety group and low state anxiety group ( χ~2 = 7.07, df =5, P=0.220;χ~2 =3.36, df =2, P=0.186). The frequency of E4/4 genotype and the rate of epsi-lon 4 alle gene was significant high in CHD with high trait anxiety group than that in CHD with low trait anxiety group ( e4/4 genotype: Fisher extract value P=0.016; epsilon 4 alle gene χ~2 = 12.97, P= 0.003) , the other genotype and alle gene did not appear statistical significance between two groups (P>0.05). Conclusion The results suggest the polymorphisms of Apolipoprotein E gene may be associated with the trait anxiety symptoms , but not state anxiety in coronary heart disease. Key words: State-trait anxiety; Apolipoprotein E gene Coronary heart disease