Prevalence of factor V gene mutation amongst myocardial infarction patients and healthy controls is higher in Sweden than in other countries.
OBJECTIVE
Haemostatic imbalance may be an aetiological factor in the development of acute coronary syndromes. Inherited resistance to activated protein C (APC) is a common disorder associated with hypercoagulability and lifelong risk of venous thrombosis. APC resistance is due to a single mutation in the gene coding for coagulation factor V (FV:Q506). To test the importance of the FV:Q506 mutation in premature myocardial infarction (MI), its prevalence was investigated in Swedish patients with MI before the age of 50 years.


METHODS
In a retrospective case-control study, the FV:Q506 mutation was investigated in 101 survivors of MI (79 men, 22 women) and in 101 healthy sex- and age-matched controls.


METHODS
The prevalence of FV:Q506 mutation.


RESULTS
The FV:Q506 mutation was found in 18% of patients versus 11% of controls (P = 0.16). The mutation was significantly more frequent amongst male patients than amongst controls (23 vs. 10%; P = 0.03), the calculated odds ratio being 2.6 (95% CI, 1.1-6.4).


CONCLUSIONS
The high prevalence of the FV:Q506 mutation found amongst Swedish MI patients, especially amongst men, is noteworthy, and calls for further studies on the outcome of MI in APC-resistant patients. The prevalence of the FV:Q506 mutation in controls is higher than figures reported from other countries, suggesting that at least 10% of the Swedish population are carriers of a congenital prothrombotic disorder.
Holm
J
J
Department of Cardiology, University of Lund, University Hospital, Malmö, Sweden.
Zöller
B
B
Berntorp
E
E
Erhardt
L
L
Dahlbäck
B
B
D000328:Adult; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005165:Factor V / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D005787:Gene Frequency; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009154:Mutation; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000235:genetics*; D015995:Prevalence; D011486:Protein C / Q000378:metabolism; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors; D013548:Sweden / Q000453:epidemiology; D013927:Thrombosis / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000235:genetics
D011486:Protein C; D005165:Factor V