Relation Between the Deletion Polymorphism of the Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Gene and Late Luminal Narrowing After Coronary Angioplasty

Abstract

BackgroundThe insertion/deletion(I/D)polymorphism of the angiotensin-converting enzyme(ACE)gene has been implicated in the pathogenesis of coronary artery disease. The deletion allele is strongly associated with the level of circulating ACE and is a potent risk factor for myocardial infarction. Recently, the deletion allele was also associated with the occurrence of visually diagnosed restenosis after percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) in a selected population of patients with acute myocardial infarction.Methods and ResultsWe investigated the influence of the ACEI/Dpolymorphism on the occurrence of restenosis after PTCA with the use of quantitative coronary angiography. ACEI/Dgenotypes were characterized in 118 consecutive patients who had one-vessel disease and were undergoing systematic angiographic follow-up. Coronary angiograms were analyzed before and after PTCA and at follow-up (7.4±3.0 months). Before PTCA, there were no clinical or angiographic differences among the three groups of genotypes (DD, n=39;ID, n=62;II, n=17). After PTCA, the mean differences in minimal luminal diameter between post-PTCA and pre-PTCA angiograms (acute gain) were identical in the three groups, as was the mean percent residual stenosis. At follow-up angiography, the mean difference in minimal coronary luminal diameter between post-PTCA and follow-up angiograms (late loss) was not significantly different in the three groups of genotypes. The percentage of patients with restenosis defined as a >50% stenosis was identical in the three groups.ConclusionsIn this quantitative study, theI/Dpolymorphism of theACEgene had no influence on the occurrence of restenosis after coronary angioplasty.