Apolipoprotein A-I/C-III/A-IV SstI and Apolipoprotein B Xbal Polymorphisms Do not Affect Early Functional and Structural Changes in Atherosclerosis : The Cardiovascular Risk in Young Finns Study

Background The present study was designed to investigate the effects of apoB Xbal and apoA-I/C-III/A-IV SstI polymorphisms to carotid artery intima-media thickness (IMT), carotid artery compliance (CAC) and brachial artery flow-mediated vasodilatation (FMD). Methods and Results As part of the Cardiovascular Risk in Young Finns Study, the carotid IMT, CAC and brachial FMD of 2,265 subjects (mean age±SD 32±5 years) were measured with ultrasonography, and genotyping of the apolipoprotein polymorphisms was performed. The frequencies of the genotypes did not differ between the groups with high (above median 0.57mm) and low (below median) IMT, CAC or FMD. The average carotid IMT differed between the 3 apoB Xbal genotypes (ANOVA, p=0.04), but not between the apoA-I/C-III/A-IV SstI genotypes (ANOVA, p=0.53). The relationship between the polymorphisms and carotid IMT was not significant in any of the covariate-adjusted logistic and linear regression analyses. CAC and FMD were not influenced by either of the polymorphisms in ANOVA and regression analyses. Conclusions The polymorphisms apoA-I/C-III/A-IV SstI and apoB Xbal do not seem to affect carotid artery characteristics or brachial artery FMD in young adulthood.