The –1C to T polymorphism in the annexin A5 gene is not associated with the risk of acute myocardial infarction or sudden cardiac death in middle‐aged Finnish males

Abstract

Objective. A common polymorphism (–1C to T) in the translation initiation sequence of annexin A5 (ANV) gene has recently been associated with a decreased risk of acute myocardial infarction (AMI). The aim of the present study was to analyze the association between the ANV gene polymorphism and the risk of AMI and ischemic sudden cardiac death (SCD) in middle‐aged Finnish males. Material and methods. A case‐control study involving three distinct groups of subjects was carried out: 1) victims of SCD (n = 98), 2) survivors of AMI (n = 212), and 3) randomly selected control subjects without any history of coronary heart disease (n = 243). The ANV polymorphism was genotyped in each study group. Results. Among the control group of healthy Finnish males the prevalence rates of the CC, CT, and TT genotypes were 83.1%, 15.2%, and 1.6%, respectively. Among the survivors of AMI, the prevalence rates of CC, CT, and TT were 79.7%, 20.3%, and 0%, respectively, and among the victims of SCD 83.7%, 16.3%, and 0%, respectively. No significant differences in the genotype or allele distributions were observed between the study groups. Conclusion. The –1C to T polymorphism in the ANV gene is not associated with the risk of AMI or SCD in middle‐aged Finnish males.