title: Mitochondrial haplogroups: ischemic cardiovascular disease, other diseases, mortality, and longevity in the general population.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Rare mutations in the mitochondrial genome may cause disease. Mitochondrial haplogroups defined by common polymorphisms have been associated with risk of disease and longevity. We tested the hypothesis that common haplogroups predict risk of ischemic cardiovascular disease, morbidity from other causes, mortality, and longevity in a general population of European descent.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We followed 9254 individuals from the Danish general population, in the Copenhagen City Heart Study, prospectively for risk of ischemic cardiovascular disease, morbidity from other causes, and mortality during 25 and 11 years, respectively. Haplogroup frequencies were as follows: H (45.9%), U (15.9%), T (9.9%), J (9.1), K (6.2%), V (4.5%), W/I (3.8%), and Z (3.5%). Hazard ratios for hospitalization due to all cardiovascular disorders (haplogroup U: 1.0 [95% confidence interval{CI}, 0.9 to 1.1]; T: 0.9 [95% CI, 0.8 to 1.0]; J: 1.0 [95% CI, 0.9 to 1.1]; K: 1.0 [95% CI, 0.9 to 1.2]; V: 1.0 [95% CI, 0.9 to 1.2]; W/I: 0.8 [95% CI, 0.7 to 1.0]; Z: 1.0 [95% CI, 0.8 to 1.2]), ischemic heart disease (U: 0.9 [95% CI, 0.8 to 1.1]; T: 0.9 [95% CI, 0.7 to 1.0]; J: 1.1 [95% CI, 0.9 to 1.2]; K: 1.1 [95% CI, 0.9 to 1.3]; V: 1.1 [95% CI, 0.9 to 1.4]; W/I: 1.1 [95% CI, 0.8 to 1.4]; Z: 1.1 [95% CI, 0.8 to 1.4]), and ischemic cerebrovascular disease (U: 1.1 [95% CI, 0.9 to 1.4]; T: 0.9 [95% CI, 0.7 to 1.2]; J: 1.1 [95% CI, 0.9 to 1.4]; K: 1.0 [95% CI, 0.8 to 1.4]; V: 1.1 [95% CI, 0.8 to 1.5]; W/I: 0.8 [95% CI, 0.5 to 1.3]; Z: 0.9 [95% CI, 0.6 to 1.4]) did not differ from 1.0 for any haplogroup versus the most common haplogroup H. Results were similar for hospitalization due to infectious and parasitic diseases, respiratory infections, respiratory disorders, malignant neoplasms, digestive disorders, musculoskeletal disorders, neuropsychiatric disorders, and miscarriages. Likewise, hazard ratios for death from all causes were not different from 1.0 for any haplogroup versus haplogroup H (U: 1.0 [95% CI, 0.8 to 1.1]; T: 0.9 [95% CI, 0.8 to 1.1]; J: 0.9 [95% CI, 0.8 to 1.1]; K: 1.0 [95% CI, 0.8 to 1.2]; V: 1.1 [95% CI, 0.9 to 1.3]; W/I: 0.8 [95% CI, 0.7 to 1.1]; Z: 0.9 [95% CI, 0.7 to 1.2]). Finally, after stratification by major causes of death, hazard ratios remained insignificant.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results do not support an association of mitochondrial haplogroups with risk of ischemic cardiovascular disease, morbidity from other causes, mortality, or longevity in a large general population of European descent.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Section for Molecular Genetics, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen University Hospital, Blegdamsvej 9, DK-2100 Copenhagen Ø, Denmark.
authors.forename: Marianne
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Benn
authors.forename: Marianne
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Schwartz
authors.forename: Børge G
authors.initials: BG
authors.lastname: Nordestgaard
authors.forename: Anne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tybjaerg-Hansen
mesh_terms: D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000235:genetics* / Q000401:mortality; D002561:Cerebrovascular Disorders / Q000235:genetics / Q000401:mortality; D003718:Denmark / Q000453:epidemiology; D006239:Haplotypes; D006801:Humans; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000235:genetics*; D017720:Molecular Epidemiology; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D011446:Prospective Studies; D015996:Survival Rate