Genetics, Smoking, and Stroke Risk in Young Women
Author Information
Author(s): John W. Cole, David W. Brown, Wayne H. Giles, Oscar C. Stine, Jeffrey R. O'Connell, Braxton D. Mitchell, John D. Sorkin, Marcella A. Wozniak, Barney J. Stern, Mary J. Sparks, Mark T. Dobbins, Latasha T. Shoffner, Nancy K. Zappala, Laurie J. Reinhart, Steven J. Kittner
Primary Institution: University of Maryland School of Medicine
Hypothesis
Do genetic variations in inflammatory pathways mediate the risk of ischemic stroke associated with cigarette smoking in young women?
Conclusion
Inflammatory gene SNPs are linked to early-onset ischemic stroke among African-American women, and smoking may influence this risk through gene-environment interactions.
Supporting Evidence
- IL6 SNP rs2069832 was significantly associated with stroke among African-Americans.
- C allele of CD14 SNP rs2569190 increased stroke risk among smokers.
- T allele of IL6 SNP rs2069830 was protective among non-smokers.
Takeaway
This study found that certain genes related to inflammation can affect the risk of stroke in young women, especially if they smoke.
Methodology
A population-based case-control study of stroke among women aged 15–49, comparing 224 stroke cases to 211 controls, with genotyping of inflammatory gene SNPs.
Potential Biases
Potential for residual phenotypic heterogeneity and no correction for multiple comparisons.
Limitations
The study evaluated a limited number of SNPs and had a relatively small sample size, which may not detect modest effects.
Participant Demographics
Women aged 15-49, 47.3% African-American, 43.1% African-American among controls.
Statistical Information
P-Value
0.049
Confidence Interval
95% CI = 1.0–5.0
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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