title: [Angiotensin converting enzyme gene polymorphisms and coronary risk in a Portuguese population].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  A family history of coronary heart disease (CHD) is a strong risk marker for the disease, independently of classical risk factors. It could be decoded by recognizing the polymorphisms associated with increased risk. Renin-angiotensin system genes are candidate genes in CHD and the deletion allele of the angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) has been reported as deleterious. However, there is disagreement as to the role of the insertion/deletion polymorphism of the ACE gene in coronary risk.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate whether ACE gene polymorphisms constitute a CHD risk factor.
  
  
  METHODS
  We conducted a population-based case-control study of 301 subjects with a history of myocardial infarction or angiographic evidence of coronary heart disease and 510 age- and gender-matched controls, without CHD, living in a region with high CHD mortality rates. Blood samples were taken, DNA extracted and genotypes determined by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Amplification products were identified by agarose gel electrophoresis.
  
  
  METHODS
  The Data were evaluated by SPSS for Windows, using the Student's t test, the chi-square test, odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The prevalence of the DD, ID and II genotype was 41.2%, 46.3%, 12.5% in the cases and 28.1%, 55.2% and 16.7% in the control group. The frequency of the DD genotype was significantly higher in the cases than in the controls (41.2% vs. 28.1%, odds ratio 1.79, 95% CI 1.31 to 2.4, p < 0.0001). By contrast, the ID and II genotypes' prevalence was higher in the control group (55.2% vs. 46.3%, p = 0.002 and 16.7 vs. 12.5%, p = NS, respectively) compared to the case group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study clearly shows that the ACE DD polymorphism is strongly linked to CHD, and if our data are confirmed in a larger population sample, more aggressive vascular prevention could be justified in patients carrying the DD genotype.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Cardiologia Médico-Cirúrgica do Hospital Central do Funchal, Madeira, Portugal. dep.card@srs.pt
authors.forename: Isabel
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Mendonça
authors.forename: Isabel A
authors.initials: IA
authors.lastname: Freitas
authors.forename: Célia A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Sousa
authors.forename: Susana
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gomes
authors.forename: Paula
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Faria
authors.forename: António
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Drumond
authors.forename: Graça
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Silva
authors.forename: Jorge J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Araújo
authors.forename: Sónia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Freitas
authors.forename: Ilídio
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Ornelas
authors.forename: Graça
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Andrade
authors.forename: Ana P
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Coelho
authors.forename: P Marques
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Silva
authors.forename: Almada
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cardoso
authors.forename: António A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Brehm
authors.forename: R Palma
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: dos Reis
mesh_terms: D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D007703:Peptidyl-Dipeptidase A / Q000235:genetics*; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D011174:Portugal; D012307:Risk Factors
chemical_list: D007703:Peptidyl-Dipeptidase A