BackgroundMutation in SCARB1 gene, exon 8 rs5888, has been associated with altered lipid levels and cardiovascular risk in humans though the results have been inconsistent. We analysed the impact of SCARB1 single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) rs5888 with plasma lipid profile and association with coronary artery disease (CAD) in a Lithuanian population characterized by high morbidity and mortality from CAD and high prevalence of hypercholesterolemia.MethodsThe study included 1976 subjects from a random sample (reference group) and an myocardial infarction (MI) group of 463 patients. Genotyping of SCARB1 (rs5888) was carried out using the real-time polymerase chain reaction method.Results/principal findingsAnalysis of rs5888 C/T gene polymorphism in the reference group revealed that male TT genotype carriers (25–74 years) had significantly higher total cholesterol and triglyceride concentrations (5.70 mmol/l vs. 5.49 mmol/l; p = 0.036, and 1.70 mmol/l vs. 1.40 mmol/l, p = 0.023, respectively) than CT carriers and the oldest males (65–74 years) TT carriers had significantly higher high density lipoprotein cholesterol concentrations in comparison to heterozygous (1.52 mmol/l vs. 1.36 mmol/l, p = 0.033). The youngest female (25–44 years) TT genotype carriers had significantly lower low density lipoprotein cholesterol concentrations in comparison to C homozygous (2.59 mmol/l vs. 2.92 mmol/l, p = 0.023). The frequency of the SCARB1 TT genotype in the oldest male MI group (65–74 years) was significantly lower than in the corresponding reference group subjects (9.4% vs. 22.3%, p = 0.006). SCARB1 TT genotype was associated with decreased odds of MI in males aged 65–75 years (OR = 0.24, 95% CI 0.10-0.56, p = 0.001).Conclusions/significanceSCARB1 polymorphism is associated with lipid metabolism and CAD in an age- and gender- dependent manner. Analysis of SCARB1 SNP rs5888 C/T genotypes revealed an atheroprotective phenotype of lipid profile in older men and in young women TT genotype carriers in the reference group. SCARB1 TT genotype was associated with decreased odds of MI in aged men.

The aim of the present study was to assess the ABO blood group polymorphism association with prostate, bladder and kidney cancer, and longevity. The following data groups were analyzed: Prostate cancer (n=2,200), bladder cancer (n=1,530), renal cell cancer (n=2,650), oldest-old (n=166) and blood donors (n=994) groups. The data on the ABO blood type frequency and odds ratio in prostate cancer patients revealed a significantly higher blood group B frequency (P<0.05); the pooled men and women, separate men bladder cancer risk was significantly associated with the blood group B (P<0.04); however, no such association was identified in the female patients. The blood group O was observed to have a significantly decreased risk of bladder cancer for females (P<0.05). No significance for the ABO blood group type in the studied kidney cancer patients was identified. A comparison of the oldest-old and blood donor groups revealed that blood group A was significantly more frequent and blood type B was significantly rarer in the oldest-olds (P<0.05). The results of the present study indicated that blood type B was associated with the risk of prostate and bladder cancer, and could be evaluated as a determinant in the negative assocation with longevity. Blood types O and A may be positive factors for increasing the oldest-old age likelihood. The clustering analysis by the ABO type frequency demonstrated that the oldest-olds comprised a separate cluster of the studied groups.

The aim of this study was to evaluate changes in extraocular muscle thickness and to assess its correlation with the degree of proptosis in patients with Graves’ ophthalmopathy (GO). Material and methods. A total of 242 patients (207 females and 35 males) with Graves’ ophthalmopathy were enrolled into the study (GO group). Their mean age was 53.83±14.49 years. In addition, we examined an age-matched (53.51±12.79 years) control group of 40 healthy persons. All the participants underwent ophthalmological examination, including eye protrusion measurement and ultrasonographic evaluation of extraocular muscles thickness. Results. The mean exophthalmos in the GO and control groups was 17.84±2.79 mm and 16.0±1.58 mm, respectively. The enlargement of inferior rectus muscle was recorded in 92.1% of patients, lateral rectus muscle in 81.2%, and medial rectus muscle in 50.8% (P<0.001). A significant correlation between exophthalmos and muscle thickness sum was found in the GO group (Spearman correlation coefficient, 0.515; P<0.0001). Conclusions. Graves’ ophthalmopathy is more frequent in medium-aged women than men. A significant enlargement of inferior, lateral, and medial straight muscles was noticed in the GO group. With increasing proptosis, the sum of the muscle thickness was increasing, and exophthalmos moderately correlated with muscle thickness sum.

Background Age‐related macular degeneration (AMD) is the leading cause of blindness in the elderly individuals. The etiology of AMD includes environmental and genetic factors. Methods We aimed to determine the association between CETP (rs5882; rs708272; rs3764261; rs1800775; rs2303790), AGER (rs1800624; rs1800625), and CYP4F2 (rs1558139) gene polymorphisms and development of atrophic AMD. About 52 patients with atrophic AMD and 800 healthy control subjects were evaluated. The genotyping of single‐nucleotide polymorphisms in CETP, AGER, and CYP4F2 was carried out using the real‐time‐PCR method. Results Genetic risk models in the analysis of CETP rs5882 revealed statistically significant variables with increased risk of atrophic AMD in the codominant (p < .001), dominant (p < .001), recessive (p < .001), and additive (p < .001) models with the highest 25.4‐fold increased risk of atrophic AMD in the codominant model (p < .001). The AGER rs1800625 was associated with a highly increased risk of atrophic AMD in the codominant (p < .001), recessive (p < .001), and additive (p < .001) genetic models. Conclusion We identified two polymorphisms with a higher risk of atrophic AMD (CETP rs5882 and AGER rs1800625).

The level of CML, an oxidative stress biomarker, reflects the presence of atherosclerosis in coronary arteries and shows a possible link between ARMD and CADath+ via oxidative status.