Coagulation factor XIII and cardiovascular disease in UK Asian patients undergoing coronary angiography

Possession of the coagulation factor XIII Val34Leu (FXIIIVal34Leu) polymorp hism is associated with protection against myocardial infarction (MI) in Ca ucasians, in the absence of features of insulin resistance. The role of thi s polymorphism in the UK Asian population, with its high prevalence of insu lin resistance and ischaemic heart disease, is unknown. We investigated the frequency of genotypes at this polymorphism, and measures of circulating F XIII in a group of UK Asians attending for coronary angiography. Genotype a t the FXIIIVal34Leu polymorphism was not associated with MI. FXIII B-subuni t levels correlated with waist: hip ratio (r = 0.19, p <0.005), HbAlc (r = 0.18, p <0.05), fasting triglycerides (r = 0.21, p <0.005), total cholester ol (r = 0.29, p <0.0005) and PAI-1 antigen (r = 0.24, p <0.005). An associa tion between FXIIIVal34Leu and FXIII cross-linking activity was confirmed i n these subjects tone-way ANOVA p <0.0005). This evidence does not support the hypothesis that FXIIIVal34Leu is protective against MI in the UK Asian population. FXIII B-subunit levels are strongly linked to risk factors for cardiovascular disease, suggesting an underlying association with insulin r esistance.