AGE AS A RISK FACTOR FOR MYOCARDIAL-INFARCTION IN LEIDEN MUTATION CARRIERS

A single factor V gene G-A mutation (Arg506Gln) underlying activated p rotein C (APC) resistance is a common risk factor for venous thromboem bolism. It is still unclear whether the factor V Leiden predisposes pa tients to arterial thrombosis and myocardial infarction (MI). To deter mine a correlation between the factor V Leiden mutation and MI in diff erent age categories, DNA samples from 287 patients with ''early'' and ''late'' MI were investigated. As control groups 373 young subjects ( mean age 11 years) and 110 elderly ones (mean age 80 years) were studi ed. We found a significant difference in mutant allele distribution in the ''late'' MI group compared to the ''early'' MI group (chi(2) = 9. 86, OR = 13,7, P < 0.005) and the control group of elderly subjects (c hi(2) = 5.92, OR = 8.6, P < 0.02). The mean age of MI patients carryin g the Leiden mutation was 72 years, i.e., 12 years higher than the mea n age of all investigated MI patients (60 years). Thus, we found a sta tistically significant correlation between MI and factor V Leiden muta tion in elderly subjects. (C) 1998 Academic Press.