beta-fibrinogen gene-455G/A polymorphism and coronary heart disease incidence: The Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) Study

PURPOSE: The -455G/A (HaeIII) polymorphism of the beta -fibrinogen gene inf luences levels of plasma fibrinogen. We determined whether it influences ri sk of coronary heart disease. METHODS: We conducted a case-cohort study nested within a prospective inves tigation, the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study. We accumulated 398 incident coronary heart disease cases over a median of 5.3 years of follow -up and compared their -445G/A status with a random sample of the cohort (n = 498). RESULTS: Plasma fibrinogen was higher (p = 0.04) in AA homozygous participa nts (341 mg/dL) than in persons carrying the G allele: GA (290 mg/dL), GG ( 298 mg/dL). However, there was no significant association between -455G/A a nd incident CHD. CONCLUSIONS: Although a small effect cannot be excluded, -455G/A does not a ppear to be an important genetic determinant of CHD. Ann Epidemiol 2001;11: 166-170. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Inc. All rights reserved.