title: The COMT val158met polymorphism is associated with prevalent fractures in Swedish men.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Sex steroids are important for growth and maintenance of the skeleton. Catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) is an estrogen degrading enzyme. The COMT val158met polymorphism results in a 60-75% difference in enzyme activity between the val (high activity=H) and met (low activity=L) variants. We have previously reported that this polymorphism is associated with bone mineral density (BMD) in young men. The aim of this study was to investigate associations between COMT val158met, BMD and fractures in elderly men.
  
  
  METHODS
  Population-based study of Swedish men 75.4, SD 3.2, years of age. Fractures were reported using standardized questionnaires. Fracture and genotype data were available from 2,822 individuals.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Total number of individuals with self-reported fracture was 989 (35.0%). Prevalence of >or=1 fracture was 37.2% in COMT(LL), 35.7% in COMT(HL) and 30.4% in COMT(HH) (p<0.05). Early fractures (<or=50 years of age) were less common in COMT(HH) than in the combined COMT(LL+HL) genotype, OR 0.78 (95% CI 0.63-0.97). No associations were found for late fractures (>50 years of age). The OR for fracture of the non-weight bearing skeleton in COMT(HH) compared with COMT(LL+HL) was 0.74 (95% CI 0.59-0.92). No associations between COMT val158met and BMD were found in this cohort of elderly men.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The COMT val158met polymorphism is associated with life time fracture prevalence in elderly Swedish men. This association is mainly driven by early fractures (<or=50 years of age).
authors.affiliation: Center for Bone Research at the Sahlgrenska Academy, Departments of Internal Medicine and Geriatrics, The Sahlgrenska Academy at Göteborg University, Göteborg, Sweden. anna.eriksson@pharm.gu.se
authors.forename: Anna L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Eriksson
authors.forename: Dan
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Mellström
authors.forename: Mattias
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lorentzon
authors.forename: Eric S
authors.initials: ES
authors.lastname: Orwoll
authors.forename: Inga
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Redlund-Johnell
authors.forename: Elin
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Grundberg
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Holmberg
authors.forename: Osten
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Ljunggren
authors.forename: Magnus K
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Karlsson
authors.forename: Claes
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ohlsson
mesh_terms: D002394:Catechol O-Methyltransferase / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D050723:Fractures, Bone / Q000201:enzymology / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000235:genetics*; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008715:Methionine / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic / Q000235:genetics*; D012307:Risk Factors; D013548:Sweden / Q000453:epidemiology; D014633:Valine / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D008715:Methionine; D002394:Catechol O-Methyltransferase; D014633:Valine