[Association of common cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) gene polymorphisms with clinical and angiographic characteristics of patients with coronary artery disease].

BACKGROUND:Chronic inflammation of the arterial wall plays a crucial role in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis. Cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) is a key enzyme in the synthesis of proinflammatory prostanoids. At least two of the common genetic polymorphisms of the COX-2 gene have phenotypic effects: G-765C (rs20417) and T8473C (rs5275). AIM:To assess the relation of G-765C and T8473C COX-2 polymorphisms to clinical and angiographic characteristics of patients with coronary artery disease (CAD). MATERIAL AND METHODS:The study comprised 186 consecutive patients with angiographically defined CAD (> or =70% stenosis of > or =1 coronary artery). The study population were divided into two groups: A-123 patients with stable angina (mean age, 62.6 +/- 11.2 years; 30.1% women), and B-63 patients with unstable angina (mean age, 64.0 +/- 10.8 years; 19.0% women). The controls comprised 70 individuals without symptoms of CAD (mean age, 37.6 +/- 9.9 years; 57.1% women). Results: No significant differences were observed in -765C and 8473C allele frequencies between the patients with CAD and control subjects. In CAD patients, the studied COX-2 polymorphisms were not significantly associated with the age of the onset of symptoms and clinical presentation of CAD. In the B group, a difference was observed within the frequency of significant (>50%) left main coronary artery stenosis (LMCAS) and/or three-vessel CAD (3-CAD) between the -765C allele carriers and 765G 765G homozygotes (14.3% vs. 49.0%; p=0.044). In the CAD patients (group A and group B) the prevalence of LMCAS and/or 3-CAD was significantly lower among 365C allele carriers (22.8% vs. 40.3%: CONCLUSIONS:There were no significant differences in -765C and 8473C allele frequencies between patients with CAD and subjects without symptoms of CAD; In patients with CAD, COX-2 G-765C and T8473C polymorphisms had no significant association with the age of the onset of symptoms and clinical presentation of ischaemic heart disease; The G-765C COX-2 polymorphism is associated with less frequent occurrence of multivessel CAD in the studied population. p=0.021