NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - A polymorphism of the LDL receptor more than triples the risk of stroke in carriers, independently of the individual’s lipid levels, according to Danish researchers.
In the June issue of the European Heart Journal, Dr. Anne Tybjaerg-Hansen of Copenhagen University Hospital and colleagues note that more than 600 LDL receptor polymorphisms are associated with familial hypercholesterolemia. However, only a single common amino acid-changing polymorphism, A370T, has been reported.
To determine what effect this polymorphism might have, the researchers examined genotypes from more than 9000 subjects in a Danish general population cohort. Of these, 465 had stroke and 1019 had ischemic heart disease.
Overall, 90.2% were 370A homozygotes, 9.5% were A370T heterozygotes and 0.3% were 370T homozygotes. Corresponding stroke incidences were 28, 26 and 100 per 10,000 person-years.
The risk of stroke in 370T homozygotes was 3.6 times that of 370A homozygotes. Moreover the average age at stroke onset was lower in 370T homozygotes.
However, levels of cholesterol, LDL cholesterol and other lipids were not associated with the genotype. This was also true of ischemic heart disease.
Because the association was independent of lipid levels, the researchers conclude that the results, “point toward a hitherto unknown function of this receptor in the brain.”
Source: Eur Heart J 2004;25:943-951. [ Google search on this article ]
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