Lipoprotein lipase locus and progression of atherosclerosis in coronary-artery bypass grafts.

Abstract

Our aim was to test whether polymorphisms in the lipoprotein lipase (LPL) gene were associated with the progression of atherosclerosis in grafts examined in the Post-Coronary Artery Bypass Graft Trial (Post-CABG Trial). 843 subjects in the post-CABG trial were genotyped for the LPL-D9N, N291S, PvuII, (TTTA)n, and HindIII polymorphisms. Associations between genotype and angiographically measured progression of atherosclerosis in grafts, medical history, and family history were examined. Greater progression of atherosclerosis was observed in subjects with LPL-HindIII 2/2 (56% versus 42% of those with other LPL HindIII genotypes, P = 0.025) and with LPL (TTTA)n 4/4 (63% versus 43% of those with other (TTTA)n genotypes, P = 0.020). Mantel-Haenszel analysis yielded an odds ratio of 1.84 for the effect of LPL HindIII 2/2 genotype on the progression of atherosclerosis in grafts (P = 0.015) and demonstrated that the effect of genotype on progression was of the same magnitude as, but independent of, the effect of drug treatment. The LPL-HindIII 2/2 genotype is a marker for genetic variation in the 3'-end of LPL that acts as an independent risk factor for the progression of atherosclerosis in grafts examined in the Post-CABG Trial.