Genetic analysis of the thermolabile variant of 5,10-methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase as a risk factor for ischemic stroke

Mild hyperhomocysteinemia is a risk factor for atherosclerotic vascular dis ease. Homozygosity for the C677T mutation in the gene for 5,10-methylenetet rahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) is frequently associated with hyperhomocyst einemia, particularly in individuals with low levels of serum folate, and h as been directly associated with cardiovascular disease in certain populati ons. The purpose of this study was to establish whether the C677T mutation, which causes thermolabile MTHFR, is a risk factor for ischemic stroke in t he Irish population, The homozygous C677T genotype has previously been asso ciated with coronary heart disease in Ireland. We collected blood from 174 individuals (minimum age 60 years) who had suffered an ischemic stroke that was confirmed by computed tomography brain scan. Control subjects (n=183) aged greater than or equal to 60 years, who had never suffered a stroke or transient ischemic attack, were recruited from hospitals and active retirem ent groups in the same geographical area, MTHFR genotypes were determined a nd other known risk factors for stroke were documented. In the control grou p, the frequency of subjects with the homozygous C677T genotype was 10.4%. In patients who had suffered ischemic stroke, the frequency was 15.5%. This difference was not statistically significant. The odds ratio of stroke fur C677T homozygotes, with other genotypes as a reference group, was 1.59, 95 % CI=0.85, 2.97. The data indicate that the homozygous C677T MTHFR genotype is at most a moderate risk factor for ischemic stroke.