Objective: This study explored the correlation between myocardial infarction (MI) and the Glu504Lys polymorphism in the aldehyde dehydrogenase 2 (ALDH2) gene in the Qingyuan area.
Methods: The Glu504Lys polymorphism of the ALDH2 gene was analyzed using the polymerase chain reaction and deoxyribonucleic acid microarray analysis for 468 patients diagnosed with MI for the first time and 132 healthy subjects.
Results: There was a significant difference in the distribution of the ALDH2 genotype between the MI group and the control group (P = 0.0492), but there was no significant difference in allele frequency between the two groups (P = 0.1363). The clinical data showed that there were statistically significant differences (P < 0.05) in the two groups’ gender and age distributions, rates of diabetes and hypertension, levels of alcohol and tobacco use, serological levels of heart markers, blood lipids and glucose. The subgroup analysis of ALDH2 genotypes found that alcohol consumption, high levels of myoglobin, and low levels of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol were significantly associated with a higher incidence of MI (P < 0.05). After adjusting for gender, hypertension, diabetes, and other related influencing factors, logistic regression analysis showed that the ALDH2 genotype GA/AA was an independent risk factor for MI (P < 0.05, OR = 1.479, 95% CI = 1.003– 2.179).
Conclusion: The presence of risk alleles with the genetic effect (ALDH2 genotype GA/AA) is an independent risk factor for MI.
Keywords: myocardial infarction, aldehyde dehydrogenase 2, polymorphism