title: Post-stroke dementia is associated with alpha(1)-antichymotrypsin polymorphism.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Alpha-1-antichymotrypsin (ACT) is an acute phase protein involved in inflammatory reaction, promoting the assembly of beta amyloid protein into filaments and contributing to its resistance to proteolytic digestion. The aim of our study was to determine ACT signal peptide polymorphism (A/T) as a possible risk factor for post-stroke dementia (PSD).
  
  
  METHODS
  142 consecutive ischemic stroke patients and 188 controls were included in this study. Pre-stroke dementia (PRESD) was evaluated using the Informant Questionnaire on Cognitive Decline in the Elderly (IQCODE). The diagnosis of the post-stroke dementia (PSD) was established according to DSM-IV criteria. The ACT gene (A/T) polymorphism was determined by PCR-RFLR.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Both ACT-TT genotype and T-allele were significantly more prevalent in patients with PSD than in non-demented stroke patients, controls or patients with PRESD. After adjustment for age, gender, and vascular risk factors, both the ACT-TT genotype and T-allele remained independently associated with PSD.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our findings suggest that ACT polymorphism (A/T) is a risk factor for PSD.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Collegium Medicum, Jagiellonian University, 31-503 Cracow, Botaniczna 3, Poland. Aleksandra.Klimkowicz@mp.pl
authors.forename: Aleksandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Klimkowicz
authors.forename: Agnieszka
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Słowik
authors.forename: Tomasz
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Dziedzic
authors.forename: Romuald
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Polczyk
authors.forename: Andrzej
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Szczudlik
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D003071:Cognition / Q000502:physiology; D003704:Dementia / Q000209:etiology / Q000235:genetics* / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D005787:Gene Frequency; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods; D012307:Risk Factors; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D020521:Stroke / Q000145:classification / Q000150:complications; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D000514:alpha 1-Antichymotrypsin / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D000514:alpha 1-Antichymotrypsin