INVESTIGATION OF GENETIC DIMORPHISM OF BE TA-AMINOISOBUTYRIC ACID EXCRETION IN PATIENTS SUFFERING FROM CORONARY ATHEROSCLEROSIS AND IN THE RISK GROUP OF ATHEROSCLEROSIS IN LITHUANIAN POPULATION

Frequency of genetic variants of excretion of beta-aminoisobutyric aci d (BAIB) in the urea was examined in patients suffering from atheroscl erosis of coronary arteries and in risk group for atherosclerosis: chi ldren frequently suffering from respiratory viral infection, children with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM) and in adults sufferin g from IDDM and non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus. With the aim to determine whether excretion of BAIB could be related with CMV persi stence of with proteolytic activity of blood serum the IgG class antib odies against CMV and level of alpha1-proteinase inhibitor (alpha1-PI) in blood serum was tested also. Frequency of high excretors of BAIB w as found significantly more often (P < 0,01) in children suffering fro m virus infection compared to that of population. Frequency distributi on of BAIB excretion showed that ''high excretors'' were found signifi cantly more often in children suffering from atherosclerosis. The diff erence of BAIB excretion among healthy and diabetics was not defined ( P > 0,05). The changes of excretion of BAIB in urea were not related w ith quantity of alpha1-PI in blood serum. Investigation reveal a possi ble relation between high BAIB excretor and latent CMV infection and t hat this may impact atherogenesis. This leads to a suggestion that chi ldren who are often ill with respiratory virus infection may constitut e a risk group for coronary atherosclerosis.