Catechol-o-methyltransferase gene polymorphism modifies the effect of coffee intake on incidence of acute coronary events.
BACKGROUND
The role of coffee intake as a risk factor for coronary heart disease (CHD) has been debated for decades. We examined whether the relationship between coffee intake and incidence of CHD events is dependent on the metabolism of circulating catecholamines, as determined by functional polymorphism of the catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) gene.


RESULTS
In a cohort of 773 men who were 42 to 60 years old and free of symptomatic CHD at baseline in 1984-89, 78 participants experienced an acute coronary event during an average follow-up of 13 years. In logistic regression adjusting for age, smoking, family history of CHD, vitamin C deficiency, blood pressure, plasma cholesterol concentration, and diabetes, the odds ratio (90% confidence interval) comparing heavy coffee drinkers with the low activity COMT genotype with those with the high activity or heterozygotic genotypes was 3.2 (1.2-8.4). Urinary adrenaline excretion increased with increasing coffee intake, being over two-fold in heavy drinkers compared with nondrinkers (p = 0.008 for trend).


CONCLUSIONS
Heavy coffee consumption increases the incidence of acute coronary events in men with low but not high COMT activity. Further studies are required to determine to which extent circulating catecholamines mediate the relationship between coffee intake and CHD.
Happonen
Pertti
P
Department of Public Health, School of Public Health and Clinical Nutrition, University of Kuopio, Kuopio, Finland. pertti.happonen@uku.fi
Voutilainen
Sari
S
Tuomainen
Tomi-Pekka
TP
Salonen
Jukka T
JT
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001483:Base Sequence; D002110:Caffeine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D002394:Catechol O-Methyltransferase / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D002395:Catecholamines / Q000378:metabolism; D003069:Coffee / Q000009:adverse effects*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology* / Q000235:genetics; D017931:DNA Primers / Q000235:genetics; D004837:Epinephrine / Q000652:urine; D005387:Finland / Q000453:epidemiology; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000201:enzymology / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000235:genetics; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors
D002395:Catecholamines; D003069:Coffee; D017931:DNA Primers; D002110:Caffeine; D002394:Catechol O-Methyltransferase; D004837:Epinephrine