C-338A polymorphism of the endothelin-converting enzyme-1 gene and the susceptibility to carotid atherosclerosis

Several lines of evidence supported the involvement of ECE-1 in the development of atherosclerosis disease. We investigated the C-338A polymorphism of the ECE-1b gene in carotid atherosclerosis. A cohort of 518 Chinese carotid atherosclerosis patients and 518 controls matched by age and sex were examined for the ECE-1b C-338A polymorphism. The ECE-1b-338 A allele was significantly frequent in carotid atherosclerosis patients than in controls (χ2 = 9.167; P = 0.002). A alleles had a 26% increased risk of carotid atherosclerosis compared with C alleles (OR = 1.26; 95% CI = 1.05-1.52). In stratified analyses, the A allele carrying genotypes was significantly associated with an increased risk of carotid atherosclerosis in females (adjusted OR = 1.57; 95% CI = 1.14-2.23) and a subject with age ≥ 64 years (adjusted OR = 1.72; 95% CI = 1.23-1.41). Our results suggested that ECE-1b-338 A allele carrying genotypes might be associated with increased risk of carotid atherosclerosis in the Chinese population.