OBJECTIVETo assess the association of single nucleotide polymorphisms of hsa-miR-196a2, hsa-miR-149, hsa-miR-146a, hsa-miR-499 with susceptibility to ischemic stroke.

METHODSTaqman-PCR and DNA sequencing assays were employed to determine the genotypes of the 4 loci among 510 patients and 523 controls. And their association with the disease was assessed.

RESULTSAnalysis showed that smoking, diabetes, hypertension, BMI index and abnormal serum lipid metabolism were significantly associated with ischemic stroke, and that rs2910164 was significantly associated with the disease in codominant (CG vs. CC: P=0.002, OR=1.878, 95%CI=1.269-2.789), dominant (P=0.012, OR=1.325, 95%CI=1.110-1.580), recessive (P=0.008, OR=1.630, 95%CI=1.130-2.342) and allele (P=0.002, OR=1.449, 95%CI=1.210-1.731) genetic models. Stratified analysis further showed that the significant association only existed in population with smoking and hypertension. By contrast, no association was found between hsa-miR-196a2 rs11614913, hsa-miR-149 rs2292832 and hsa-miR-499 rs3746444 with the disease.

CONCLUSIONOur study indicated that smoking, diabetes, hypertension, fat and hyperlipidemia are risk factors for ischemic stroke. Hsa-miR-146a rs2910164 is significantly associated with the disease in those with smoking and hypertension in Dongyang region and may be involved in the process of the disease. The G allele G, GG and CG+GG genotypes of the locus may underlie the susceptibility to the disease in Dongyang region.