hUNC-93B1, a novel gene mainly expressed in the heart, is related to left ventricular diastolic function, heart failure morbidity and mortality in elderly men.
OBJECTIVE
The hUNC-93B1 gene has the highest expression in the heart. We aimed to explore relationships between the hUNC-93B1 gene and cardiac function, morbidity and mortality in elderly men.


RESULTS
Two sub-samples of the population-based ULSAM-cohort (n=330, mean age 71 years and n=152, mean age 75 years, respectively) were used to explore and validate relationships between genotypes of the hUNC-93B1 gene and cardiac phenotypes (ejection fraction, E/A-ratio, left ventricular mass index and relative wall thickness). In the two samples, subjects homozygous for haplotype H3 had 34% and 35% higher level of E/A-ratio compared to non-carriers (p=0.0002 and 0.017, respectively) independent of cardiovascular disease and medication. Using national cause-of-death and hospital-discharge register data with 29 years of follow-up, no heart failure patients homozygous for haplotype H3 were hospitalised for heart failure before the age of 75 years, compared to 25% for heterozygous and 55% for non-carriers (p<0.03). No homozygous subjects died during follow-up while 17% of the heterozygous and 15% of the non-carriers died (p=0.01).


CONCLUSIONS
Haplotype H3 of the hUNC-93B1 gene seems related to E/A-ratio in elderly men. The relationship between the hUNC-93B1 gene and the age at onset of heart failure and mortality support a view of a clinically relevant impact of the gene.
Arnlöv
Johan
J
Department of Public Health and Caring Sciences/Geriatrics, PO Box 609, S-75125 Uppsala, Sweden. Johan.Arnlov@pubcare.uu.se
Sundström
Johan
J
Lind
Lars
L
Andrén
Bertil
B
Andersson
Maria
M
Reneland
Richard
R
Berglund
Lars
L
Kashuba
Vladimir
V
Protopopov
Alexei
A
Zabarovsky
Eugene
E
Lithell
Hans
H
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D002423:Cause of Death; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D015331:Cohort Studies; D015150:Echocardiography, Doppler; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000235:genetics* / Q000401:mortality* / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011336:Probability; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012494:Sampling Studies; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D015996:Survival Rate; D018487:Ventricular Dysfunction, Left / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000235:genetics* / Q000401:mortality* / Q000503:physiopathology