title: The role of ALDH2 and ADH1B polymorphism in alcohol consumption and stroke in Han Chinese.
abstract: The genes encoding the enzymes for metabolising alcohol dehydrogenase 1B (ADH1B) and aldehyde dehydrogenase 2 (ALDH2) - exhibit genetic polymorphism and ethnic variations. Although the ALDH2*2 variant allele has been widely accepted as protecting against the development of alcoholism in Asians, the association of the ADH1B*2 variant allele with drinking behaviour remains inconclusive. The goal of this study was to determine whether the polymorphic ADH1B and ALDH2 genes are associated with stroke in male Han Chinese with high alcohol consumption. Sixty-five stroke patients with a history of heavy drinking (HDS) and 83 stroke patients without such a history (NHDS) were recruited for analysis of the ADH1B and ALDH2 genotypes from the stroke registry in the Tri-Service General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan, between January 2000 and December 2001. The allelotypes of ADH1B and ALDH2 were determined using the polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism method. The HDS patients (3 per cent) showed a significantly lower ALDH2*2 allele frequency than NHDS patients (27 per cent) (p < 0.001). After controlling for age, patients with HDS were associated with a significantly higher occurrence of cigarette smoking (p < 0.01) and liver dysfunction (p < 0.01). Multiple logistic regression analyses revealed that the ALDH2*2 variant allele was an independent variable exhibiting strong protection (odds ratio 0.072; 95 per cent confidence interval 0.02-0.26) against HDS after adjustment for hypertension, diabetes mellitus, smoking status and liver dysfunction. By contrast, allelic variations in ADH1B exerted no significant effect on HDS. The present study indicated that, unlike ALDH2*2, ADH1B*2 appears not to be a significant negative risk factor for high alcohol consumption in male Han Chinese with stroke.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Cathay General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Chung-Tay
authors.initials: CT
authors.lastname: Yao
authors.forename: Chun-An
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.forename: Hsu-Kun
authors.initials: HK
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Shao-Wen
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Chiu
authors.forename: Yi-Chyan
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Ming-Fang
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Shih-Jiun
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Yin
authors.forename: Giia-Sheun
authors.initials: GS
authors.lastname: Peng
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000426:Alcohol Dehydrogenase / Q000235:genetics*; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000009:adverse effects*; D000444:Aldehyde Dehydrogenase / Q000235:genetics*; D000071396:Aldehyde Dehydrogenase, Mitochondrial; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002681:China; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic / Q000235:genetics*; D011379:Prognosis; D012307:Risk Factors; D020521:Stroke / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: C489332:ADH1B protein, human; D000426:Alcohol Dehydrogenase; C096127:ALDH2 protein, human; D000444:Aldehyde Dehydrogenase; D000071396:Aldehyde Dehydrogenase, Mitochondrial