Association between+1059G/C CRP Polymorphism and Acute Myocardial Infarction in a Cohort of Patients from Sicily A Pilot Study

Inflammation plays a role in all the phases of atherosclerosis, and increased production of the acute-phase reactant, C-reactive protein (CRP), predicts future cardiovascular events. Furthermore, CRP has been claimed to play a role in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis; therefore, CRP polymorphisms might be associated with acute myocardial infarction (AMI). We have analyzed male patients affected by AMI and healthy age-related male controls from Sicily for + 1059G/ C CRP single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP). There was a significantly higher frequency of + 1059C SNP (P=0.0008; OR3.86) in patients compared to controls. CRP serum levels were significantly higher in C+ healthy subjects rather than in C-subjects (P=0.0075). The results of the present pilot case-control study performed in a homogeneous caucasoid population suggest that + 1059C CRP gene SNP is associated with AMI. In any case, the results of the present study should add to the growing body of evidence on the role of pro-inflammatory genotypes in unsuccessful aging, determining susceptibility to immune-inflammatory diseases such as coronary heart disease.