Previous studies reported an association of certain polymorphisms in the lipoprotein lipase (LPL) gene with the risk of coronary artery disease (CAD); however, these studies were small and inconsistent. In addition, none of these studies attempted to establish such an association in the Arab population.
To determine whether 2 LPL polymorphisms (LPL-HindIII and LPL-PvuII located on introns 8 and 6, respectively, of the LPL gene) can be considered as independent risk factors or as predictors for CAD in Arabs.
We used polymerase chain reaction and restriction enzyme digestion to determine the distribution of the LPL-HindIII and LPL-PvuII polymorphisms among healthy blood donors of Arabic origin (BD group) and angiographically confirmed CAD patients (CAD group) with identical ethnic backgrounds.
For the HindIII genotypes, within the BD group (n = 410), the +/+ genotype was found in 206 individuals (50.2%), 173 (42.2%) carried the +/- genotype, and 31 (7.6%) carried the -/- genotype. Within the CAD group (n = 352), the +/+ genotype was found in 189 individuals (53.7%), 138 (39.2%) carried the +/- genotype, and 25 (7.1%) carried the -/- genotype. P values of.38,.45, and.92 were obtained for the +/+, +/-, and -/- genotypes, respectively. For the PvuII genotypes, within the BD group (n = 511), the +/+ genotype was found in 182 individuals (35.6%), 248 (48.5%) carried the +/- genotype, and 81 (15.9%) carried the -/- genotype. Within the CAD group (n = 431), the +/+ genotype was found in 138 individuals (32%), 225 (52.2%) carried the +/- genotype, and 68 (15.8%) carried the -/- genotype. P values of.28,.29, and.98 were obtained for the +/+, +/-, and -/- genotypes, respectively. The distribution and the allele frequency of these 2 LPL variants were similar in CAD and BD study groups and followed the Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium.
There was no difference in the distribution of both LPL polymorphisms between the healthy group and the CAD group. Therefore, these 2 LPL polymorphisms cannot be considered as independent risk factors or as predictors for CAD in this population.