title: 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.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health and Caring Sciences/Geriatrics, PO Box 609, S-75125 Uppsala, Sweden. Johan.Arnlov@pubcare.uu.se
authors.forename: Johan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Arnlöv
authors.forename: Johan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sundström
authors.forename: Lars
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Lind
authors.forename: Bertil
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Andrén
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Andersson
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Reneland
authors.forename: Lars
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Berglund
authors.forename: Vladimir
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Kashuba
authors.forename: Alexei
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Protopopov
authors.forename: Eugene
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Zabarovsky
authors.forename: Hans
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Lithell
mesh_terms: 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