The impact of vascular endothelial growth factor +405 C/G polymorphism on long-term outcome and severity of coronary artery disease.

BACKGROUND: The association between genetic variations of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) gene and the risk for atherosclerosis has been hypothesized. We aimed to assess the relationship between rs2010963 (+405 C/G) polymorphism and presence, severity, and outcome of coronary artery disease (CAD) in an Iranian cohort. METHODS: Genotyping of VEGF rs2010963 polymorphism was performed on 520 individuals, comprising 347 patients with documented coronary artery disease based on angiography report and 173 individuals with normal coronary arteries, using the TaqMan real-time PCR method. In final, 484 subjects were followed up over a 5-year period for cardiovascular-related outcomes. RESULTS: C allele of VEGF rs2010963 polymorphism was related to increase risk for CAD and also slightly to 5-year cardiovascular mortality. The 5-year survival in C and G allele subgroups were 92.3% and 94.3% in CAD group and 95.7% and 98.0% in non-CAD group, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Vascular endothelial growth factor rs2010963 polymorphism may be associated with the presence of CAD and its long-term survival, but not with its severity. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of genetic association between rs2010963 SNP and CAD-related death. It can be thus suggested that rs2010963 VEGF gene can be considered as a genetic risk predictor for CAD and its outcomes.

Prevalence of hepatitis B virus seromarkers in young adults vaccinated at birth; impact on the epidemiology of hepatitis B infection in iran.

BACKGROUND: The epidemiological impact and the duration of protection provided by infant hepatitis B (HB) vaccination are unknown. OBJECTIVES: This study was designed to determine the hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection seromarkers in young adults who have been vaccinated against HBV as the first group of Iranian neonates during 1993 and 1994. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We recruited 510 young adults with a history of complete HB vaccination at birth. HBV seromarkers (HB surface antigen (HBs Ag), antibody against HBs Ag (Anti-HBs), and antibody against HB core antigen (Anti-HBc) were measured using ELISA method. Anti-HBs titers ≥ 10 IU/L were considered protective and titers more than 300 IU/L were indicative of a natural boosting. Positive results for Anti-HBc and HBs Ag were considered as breakthrough infection and possible vaccine failure, respectively. The history of acute symptomatic clinical hepatitis was also investigated. RESULTS: Anti-HBs seropositivity rate was detected in 224 of 510 [95% CI: 39-47] young adults. Breakthrough infection (positive sera for Anti-HBc without chronic infection) was observed in 18 [95% CI: 2.5-3.5] subjects. There were neither HBs Ag positive results nor symptomatic hepatitis cases. CONCLUSIONS: The study results indicated that the neonatal HBV immunization induced a long-term protection against HBV and was very efficacious in reducing chronic HBV infection rate in vaccinated young adults in Iran.