Association of genetic variation at the β‐fibrinogen gene locus and plasma fibrinogen evels; interaction between allele frequency of the G/A‐455polymorphism, age and smoking

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Abstract
The β‐fibrinogen G/A‐455 polymorphism genotype along with plasma fibrinogen levels was determined in 482 healthy middle‐aged men, of whom 231 were smokers. Smokers had the highest plasma fibrinogen levels (2.92 g/1), ex‐smokers the next (2.73 g/1), and never‐smokers the lowest levels (2.66 g/1, P < 0.001). Those with one or two A‐455 alleles had significantly higher plasma fibrinogen levels in never‐smokers and ex‐smokers (8.2% and 9.0%, respectively, P < 0.05), and the effect was larger in younger men (45 < 55 years, 11.6%, P = 0.002) than older men (> 65 years, 4.5%, NS), and was not significant in smokers (2.4%, P > 0.05). Allele frequencies were calculated and compared across age groups and between smokers and non‐smokers. The difference in frequency of the A‐455 allele between smokers and non‐smokers varied significantly with age (P < 0.01), with the frequency of the A‐455 allele being significantly lower in smokers than in non‐smokers in subjects aged > 65 years (P < 0.05), but not in younger men. This demonstrates an interaction between age, smoking and allele frequency of the G/A‐455 polymorphism in this population‐based sample.