Polymorphisms of the Factor VII Gene and Circulating FVII:C Levels in Relation to Acute Cerebrovascular Disease and Poststroke Mortality

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
Background and Purpose FVII:C has been shown to be an independent risk factor for myocardial infarction and is related to environmental and genetic factors. This study sought to investigate FVII:C levels and factor VII (FVII) gene polymorphisms in relation to stroke and disease outcome. Methods To examine the association of FVII:C and the Msp I and promoter insertion polymorphisms of the FVII gene in acute stroke, 317 patients and 198 age-matched control subjects were studied. Results FVII:C levels were significantly lower in patients at onset than 3 months later (119% versus 135%, respectively; P <.0005). Levels were significantly lower in patients at onset than in control subjects (124% [95% confidence interval, 120% to 129%] versus 141% [95% confidence interval, 135% to 148%], respectively; P <.0005) but were not significantly different at 3 months (135% [95% confidence interval, 128% to 141%] versus 141% [95% confidence interval, 135% to 148%], respectively). We found no difference in genotype distribution for either polymorphism between patients and control subjects, no difference in FVII:C level or genotype distribution between pathological types of stroke, and no relationship with poststroke mortality. Both polymorphisms were significantly associated with FVII:C levels in patients and control subjects. In a multiple regression model for patients, Msp I genotype, cholesterol, and smoking remained as independent predictors of FVII:C levels, accounting for 32% of interindividual variation. Conclusions These results suggest that neither FVII:C levels nor FVII gene polymorphisms are associated with cerebrovascular disease. There were no genotype-specific correlations of environmental factors with FVII:C, but there was evidence of an acute-phase or consumptive fall in FVII:C levels at the time of stroke, whereas levels increased to those similar for healthy age-matched control subjects by 3 months, when the acute phase had presumably subsided.