Alpha(1)-antichymotrypsin gene polymorphism in patients with stroke.
OBJECTIVE
A role for proteolytic enzymes has been suggested in the pathogenesis of stroke. In a search for new genetic factors, we investigated the gene polymorphism of the serine protease inhibitor alpha(1)-antichymotrypsin (ACT) in patients with stroke.


METHODS
Two hundred twenty patients with acute ischemic stroke (n=182) and primary intracerebral hemorrhage (n=38) and 70 control subjects without clinical cerebrovascular disease were genotyped for the ACT polymorphism.


RESULTS
The ACT-TT genotype was more frequent in patients with primary intracerebral hemorrhage than in patients with ischemic stroke (31.6% versus 16.4%, P:<0.05) or in control subjects (21.4%, P:=0.1). After adjusting for age, gender, and vascular risk factors, the ACT-TT genotype was associated with primary intracerebral hemorrhage, with an OR of 2.3 (95% CI 1.0 to 5. 2) compared with ischemic stroke and an OR of 1.8 (95% CI 0.85 to 9. 65) compared with controls.


CONCLUSIONS
Pending confirmation in a larger study, our results suggest that the ACT-TT genotype might be a risk factor for primary cerebral hemorrhage.
Vila
N
N
Neurology Service, Hospital Clinic, Barcelona, Spain.
Obach
V
V
Revilla
M
M
Oliva
R
R
Chamorro
A
A
D000208:Acute Disease; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002543:Cerebral Hemorrhage / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016017:Odds Ratio; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D015842:Serine Proteinase Inhibitors / Q000235:genetics*; D020521:Stroke / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000235:genetics*; D000514:alpha 1-Antichymotrypsin / Q000235:genetics*
D015842:Serine Proteinase Inhibitors; D000514:alpha 1-Antichymotrypsin