Because they have been described as strong risk factors for idiopathic recurrent pregnancy losses (RPLs), we assessed the association between the methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) C677T and A1298C and hyperhomocysteinemia in Tunisian women with idiopathic RPL. Study subjects comprised 200 patients with more than three consecutive RPLs, and 200 age-matched parous control women. C677T and A1298C SNPs were analyzed by PCR-RFLP analysis, and fasting serum homocysteine was measured with ELISA. The frequency of MTHFR 677T/T (30.0 vs 7.0%) and 1298C/C (13.5 vs 4.0%) genotypes was significantly higher in patients. While it was similar among patients and controls (P 5 0.095), higher homocysteine was seen with the T/T (but not 1298A/C and 1298C/C) genotype among patients and controls compared with non-T/T carriers (P < 0.05), and in patients vs controls. Higher prevalence of MTHFR 677T/T was seen in late (P < 0.05) and early-late (P < 0.001) RPL, while higher prevalence of 1298C/C genotype was seen only in earlylate RPL (P < 0.001), and the prevalence of double heterozygotes was statistically not significant between patients and controls (P 5 0.10; odds ratio 5 2.73). Logistic regression analysis showed that, after adjusting for all variables, homozygosity for MTHFR C677T was associated with late (P < 0.001), and combined early-late (P < 0.001), while homozygosity for A1298C was associated only with combined early-late (P 5 0.026), as was secondary-level education, which was associated with early (P 5 0.005), late (P 5 0.026) and combined early-late (P 5 0.004) abortions. Homozygosity for MTHFR C677T (late and early-late) and A1298C (early-late) are risk factor for RPLs, irrespectively of total homocysteine levels.

This study indicated that the risk of MI was notably high in 4G and -844A carriers with elevated plasma PAI-1 and were associated with reduced tPA levels.

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Introduction. We investigated the contribution of aldosterone synthase CYP11B2 polymorphism (C-344T) to the age-related changes in blood pressure in stroke patients. Subjects and methods. Study subjects comprised 329 stroke patients (121 normotensive, 208 hypertensive) and 444 healthy controls. Genotyping was done by PCR-RFLP, and the contribution of CYP11B2 polymorphism to the risk of stroke was analysed by regression analysis. Results. The T allele, and CT, TT, and CT + TT genotypes, independently of sex and age, were significantly associated with increased stroke risk. Varied distributions of CYP11B2 genotypes were noted among patients with respect to gender, age and hypertension status, being pronounced in hypertensive patients. Both systolic and diastolic blood pressure were positively correlated with the presence of T allele. Mean systolic and diastolic blood pressure were significantly higher among young (< 60 years) CT and TT genotype carriers. Regression analysis confirmed the positive association of CT and TT genotypes and systolic blood pressure, and the negative association of diastolic blood pressure with odds of stroke development. Taking normotensive patients as reference, regression analysis identified TT genotype, age and female gender to be independently associated with increased odds of stroke. Conclusion. Compared to CC genotype, CT and TT CYP11B2 genotypes are independently associated with increased stroke index.