Gender Differences in Response to Statin Therapy in Ischemic Stroke Patients With SLCO1B1 388A>G Polymorphism: A Clinical Study

Abstract

Background: Statins are widely used for the medical management of vascular conditions, including ischemic stroke. However, genetic factors and polymorphisms, including SLCO1B1 388A>G single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP), have shown significant effects in response to statin therapy. To the best of our knowledge, gender-gene interaction in response to statin therapy, affected by the SLCO1B1 388 A>G SNP, has not been investigated yet. The current study describes the therapeutic outcomes of this variation in terms of clinical evaluations and laboratory parameters. Methods: Seventy patients diagnosed with acute ischemic stroke were recruited for this study. Blood samples were collected. The SLCO1B1 388A>G gene was genotyped using a polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism method, and the three possible polymorphisms (388GG, 388GA, and 388AA) were detected accordingly. Statin treatment was prescribed at a dose of 40 mg of Atorvastatin or 20 mg of Rosuvastatin daily. Laboratory assessments, including a lipid profile, liver function tests, and lactate dehydrogenase, as well as clinical evaluations, including scores of stroke severity, were obtained at baseline and after a three-month follow-up. Results: Iranian ischemic stroke patients showed all three possible polymorphisms, including 30 patients with AA, 28 patients with AG, and 12 patients with GG. Significant SNP variations and gender-gene interactions for most measures of the lipid profile and some clinical trends were found in such a manner that the GG genotype was associated with relevant resistance to statin treatment, while the AA genotype, particularly in male patients, was associated with more response to statin treatment. Conclusion: This investigation adds influential gender differences to the previously reported SLCO1B1 388A>G SNP-induced variations of statin therapeutic response in stroke patients.