32. Relations between Taql, Hindm and Bell polymorphisms and plasma levels of fibrinogen in a healthy Italian population

Fibrinogen is an acute phase reactant increased during inflammation; it is also affected by diabetes mellitus, smoking habits, hyperlipidemia and the use of oral contraceptives. Although a genetic modulation has been demonstrated, the contribution of the different fibrinogen polymorphisms to plasma levels has not been well established. In our study the aîleles detected by the restriction enzymes Hindlll (HI and H2 in the -chain promoter region), Bd/(Bl and B2 in the -chain gene) and TaqI(Tl and T2 in the a-chain gene) were tested in a sample of 230 healthy subjects recruited in centres representative of the whole country. The mean fibrinogen levels for Hindlll polymorphisms were respectively 218±59, 221±54 and 221±45 mg/L in HIHI, H1H2 and H2H2 subjects; for TaqI they were 213±59, 233±50 and 237151 mg/L in T1T1, T1T2 and T2T2; and for Bell were 209±51, 229+47 and 260+43 mg/L (*p<0.05) in B1B1, B1B2 and B2B2. For the latter polymorphism correlation analysis was performed: age, genotype B2B2 and cholesterol correlated with the levels but the smoking status and apoB and apoA levels did not. In the stepwise regression analysis, the genotype Bell accounted for 8% of the variance; age and cholesterol for 2%. The role of this polymorphism of the β-chain gene in the spectrum of fibrinogen levels (of the Italian sample population) provides further evidence for a genetic predisposition to increased fibrinogen levels. © Pearson Professional Ltd 1996.