OBJECTIVETo assess the association between G894T (Glu298Asp) mutation in exon 7 of the endothelial nitric oxide synthase gene and premature coronary heart disease (P-CHD).

METHODSHospital-based case-control study was conducted. Newly-diagnosed CHD patients were recruited as study subjects. 132 CHD patients diagnosed at/before age 55 for males and 65 for females were assigned to P-CHD case group with other 172 CHD patients as the control group. Polymerase chain reaction with Ban II restriction enzyme digestion was performed to detect the G894T mutation.

RESULTSG894T mutant genotypes in P-CHD group (TT, GT and GG frequencies were 6.06%, 20.45% and 73.48%, respectively) were significant higher than those in control group (TT, GT and GG frequencies were 1.74%, 11.63% and 86.63%, respectively) (P = 0.01). Mutant T allele frequency in P-CHD group was also significantly higher than that in control group (16.29% versus 7.56%, P = 0.001, OR = 2.38, 95% CI: 1.38 - 4.16). Stepwise multiple logistic regression analysis at 0.05 significant level with sex, smoking, alcohol drinking, and overweight covariates indicated that G894T mutation also having significant effect on P-CHD (P = 0.01, OR = 2.25, 95% CI: 1.19 - 4.26).

CONCLUSIONThis study suggested that G894T mutation in endothelial nitric oxide synthase gene might serve as a major risk factor to the pathogenesis of P-CHD in this study population.