title: Haptoglobin polymorphism as a risk factor for coronary heart disease mortality.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  the aim of our study was to evaluate the independent role of the haptoglobin (Hp) polymorphism as a risk factor for coronary heart disease (CHD) mortality.
  
  
  METHODS
  within the framework of the longitudinal part of the Belgian Interuniversity Research on Nutrition and Health (BIRNH) survey, a nested case-control study design was performed through matching the 107 deaths from CHD, occurring within a 10-year follow-up period, with three controls for age and gender.
  
  
  RESULTS
  the distribution of the Hp types was found to be in Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. Conditional logistic regression analysis for matched sets revealed that the Hp polymorphism was significantly associated with CHD death. Rather surprisingly, the finding was that Hp 1-1 individuals were at doubled risk for CHD mortality compared with the others, the odds ratio being 2.09 (95% CI: 1.22-3.60). The association was independent from other classical cardiovascular risk factors and the Hp concentration, and of comparable magnitude between men and women. Moreover, evaluating the interaction term in a multiplicative model showed that the Hp type did not play a synergistic role in the prognostic value of established cardiovascular risk factors.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  in contrast to the findings from cross-sectionally based studies, the results from this longitudinal study show that Hp 1-1 individuals are at elevated risk for CHD mortality.
authors: Department of Public Health, Ghent University, De Pintelaan 185 Block A, 9000 Ghent, Belgium. dirk.debacquer@rug.ac.be
authors: D
authors: D
authors: De Bacquer
authors: G
authors: G
authors: De Backer
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Langlois
authors: J
authors: J
authors: Delanghe
authors: H
authors: H
authors: Kesteloot
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Kornitzer
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000483:Alleles; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000401:mortality*; D005260:Female; D006242:Haptoglobins / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D008136:Longevity / Q000235:genetics; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D012307:Risk Factors
chemical_list: D006242:Haptoglobins