Angiotensin-converting enzyme genotype in children and coronary events in their grandparents.

Abstract

BACKGROUND:

It has been suggested that the insertion/deletion (I/D) polymorphism of the angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) gene is an independent risk factor for coronary artery disease. The D/D genotype, which is associated with higher levels of circulating ACE than the I/D or I/I genotype, has been found significantly more frequently in patients with myocardial infarction and also in individuals with a parental history of myocardial infarction.

METHODS AND RESULTS:

We explored the distribution of the ACE genotype in 404 school children, aged 6 to 13 years, and related the distribution to the number of their grandparents who had had vascular events. We found a significant association between the number of grandparents who had had coronary events and the ACE genotype (P = .01). In children with two or more grandparents who had had coronary events, there was an excess of both D/D (odds ratio = 2.8 [95% confidence interval = 1.16-6.56]) and I/D (odds ratio = 1.4 [95% confidence interval = 0.62-3.25]) genotypes compared with I/I genotypes. In addition, there was an association between the ACE genotype and lipoprotein(a) levels in children (P = .07). Both the ACE genotype and lipoprotein(a) were found to contribute significantly (P = .0042) and independently to family history of coronary artery disease, with the ACE genotype proving to be more predictive than lipoprotein(a) levels.

CONCLUSIONS:

We conclude that the I/D polymorphism of the ACE gene is an important independent risk factor for coronary artery disease and is more predictive that lipoprotein(a). The I/D polymorphism is not only associated with a parental history of myocardial infarction but also with coronary artery disease in second-degree relatives. A further study to explore the relation between the I/D polymorphism and circulating levels of lipoprotein(a) is indicated.

• Authors: R F Badenhop, X L Wang, D E Wilcken
• Journal: Circulation (Circulation) Vol. 91 Issue 6 Pg. 1655-8 (Mar 15 1995) ISSN: 0009-7322 [Print] United States
• PMID: 7882471 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• Lipoprotein(a)
• Peptidyl-Dipeptidase A

Topics

• Adolescent
• Adult
• Aged
• Child
• Child, Preschool
• Coronary Disease (blood, genetics)
• Female
• Genotype
• Humans
• Lipoprotein(a) (blood)
• Male
• Middle Aged
• Peptidyl-Dipeptidase A (genetics)
• Polymerase Chain Reaction
• Polymorphism, Genetic
• Risk Factors