Variation in the Promoter Region of the β Fibrinogen Gene Is Associated with Plasma Fibrinogen Levels in Smokers and Non-Smokers

A E Thomas; F R Green; C H Kelleher; H C Wilkes; P J Brennan; T W Meade; S E Humphries

doi:10.1055/s-0038-1648177

Thrombosis and Haemostasis, Table of Contents

Thromb Haemost 1991; 65(05): 487-490
DOI: 10.1055/s-0038-1648177

Original Article

Schattauer GmbH Stuttgart

Variation in the Promoter Region of the β Fibrinogen Gene Is Associated with Plasma Fibrinogen Levels in Smokers and Non-Smokers

A E Thomas

¹The Arterial Disease Research Unit, Charing Cross Sunley Research Centre, Hammersmith, London

,

F R Green

¹The Arterial Disease Research Unit, Charing Cross Sunley Research Centre, Hammersmith, London

,

C H Kelleher

²The MRC Epidemiology and Medical Care Unit, Northwick Park Hospital, Harrow, Middlesex, United Kingdom

,

H C Wilkes

²The MRC Epidemiology and Medical Care Unit, Northwick Park Hospital, Harrow, Middlesex, United Kingdom

,

P J Brennan

²The MRC Epidemiology and Medical Care Unit, Northwick Park Hospital, Harrow, Middlesex, United Kingdom

,

T W Meade

²The MRC Epidemiology and Medical Care Unit, Northwick Park Hospital, Harrow, Middlesex, United Kingdom

,

S E Humphries

¹The Arterial Disease Research Unit, Charing Cross Sunley Research Centre, Hammersmith, London

› Author Affiliations

Abstract

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Summary

We investigated the association between fibrinogen levels and a HaeIII restriction fragment length polymorphism located at −453 bp from the start of transcription of the β fibrinogen gene. 292 healthy men aged 45 to 69 years, recruited from general practices throughout Britain, were studied. None had a history of ischaemic heart disease. 41.1% (120) were smokers and fibrinogen levels were higher in this group. The frequency of the noncutting allele (designated H2) was 0.19 and was the same in smokers and non-smokers. The H2 allele was associated with elevated levels of fibrinogen in both smokers and non-smokers and the effect of genotype was similar in both groups. After smoking, HaeIII genotype was the strongest predictor of fibrinogen levels and explained 3.1% of the variance in fibrinogen levels. These results confirm earlier studies that variation at the fibrinogen locus contributes to the between-individual differences in plasma fibrinogen level.

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References

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