Youqian Li,1,2 Wei Zhong,1,2 Zhidong Liu,1,2 Changjing Huang,1,2 Junyin Peng,1,2 Hanlin Li1,2 

1Center for Cardiovascular Diseases, Meizhou People’s Hospital, Meizhou Academy of Medical Sciences, Meizhou, People’s Republic of China; 2Guangdong Provincial Engineering and Technology Research Center for Molecular Diagnostics of Cardiovascular Diseases, Meizhou People’s Hospital, Meizhou Academy of Medical Sciences, Meizhou, People’s Republic of China

Correspondence: Youqian Li, Center for Cardiovascular Diseases, Meizhou People’s Hospital, Meizhou Academy of Medical Sciences, No. 63 Huangtang Road, Meijiang District, Meizhou, People’s Republic of China, Email d_yoyo@163.com

Background: Aldehyde dehydrogenase 2 (ALDH2) is a key catalytic enzyme involved in the aldehyde metabolism that plays an important role in the occurrence and development of acute myocardial infarction (AMI). However, the relationship of ALDH2 polymorphism and susceptibility to AMI may differ among different regions and populations, and it has not yet been reported in Hakka population. The purpose of the present study was to investigate it in this population.
Methods: Four hundred and nineteen AMI patients and 636 individuals without AMI were included in the present study. The ALDH2 rs671 polymorphism was genotyped using polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-microarray. Differences in ALDH2 rs671 genotypes and alleles between patients and controls were compared, and the relationship between ALDH2 rs671 genotypes and AMI risk was analyzed.
Results: Patients with AMI had a lower frequency of ALDH2 rs671 G/G genotype (43.2% vs 52.7%, p=0.003), and a higher G/A genotype (45.6% vs 38.5%, p=0.025) than controls. And AMI patients had a lower frequency of ALDH2 rs671 G allele (66.0% vs 71.9%), and a higher A allele (34.0% vs 28.1%) (p=0.004) than controls. Logistic regression analysis showed that overweight (body mass index (BMI)≥ 24.0 kg/m2 vs BMI 18.5– 23.9 kg/m2: odds ratio (OR) 2.046, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.520– 2.754, p< 0.001), history of hypertension (yes vs no: OR 3.464, 95% CI: 2.515– 4.770, p< 0.001), ALDH2 rs671 G/A genotype (G/A vs G/G: OR 1.476, 95% CI: 1.102– 1.976, p=0.009), and A/A genotype (A/A vs G/G: OR 1.656, 95% CI: 1.027– 2.668, p=0.038) maybe the independent risk factors for AMI.
Conclusion: Overweight (BMI≥ 24.0 kg/m2), a history of hypertension, and ALDH2 rs671 G/A or A/A genotypes increased the risk of developing AMI in Hakka population.

Keywords: aldehyde dehydrogenase 2, acute myocardial infarction, polymorphism, Hakka