PlA1/A2 polymorphism of platelet glycoprotein IIIa and risk of acute coronary syndromes in heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia

Familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) is an autosomal inherited disorder caused by different mutations in the low density lipoprotein (LDL) receptor gene. It has been demonstrated that there is an increased risk of coronary heart disease (CHD) in heterozygous FH subjects, although this excess CHD is not only explained by the LDL-cholesterol concentration or the class of the LDL-receptor mutation. To investigate if a common polymorphism at the platelet glycoprotein (GP) IIIa gene locus could be related to CHD phenotypic variation in heterozygous FH, we have carried out a case-control study. We have studied 40 cases and 40 controls matched for age, sex and genetic defect in the LDL-receptor gene. Allele frequency of p1(A2) polymorphism for cases and controls was 20 and 22.5%, respectively, and the difference was not significant. In conclusion, our data do not support any association between the GP IIIa polymorphism and the increased prevalence of acute coronary syndromes in the heterozygous FH subjects. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.