Background: Experimental studies have shown an activation of the angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) system as a response to endothelial injury. Recent publications have elucidated the hypothesis that the ACE gene polymorphism may influence the level of late luminal loss after coronary stent implantation. It is still unclear whether the polymorphism of the angiotensin gene is a major predictor of the extent of neointimal hyperplasia. In this multicenter study, we therefore tested the relationship between the ACE gene polymorphism and the restenosis rate after coronary stent implantation.
Methods: As a substudy of the optimization with intracoronary ultrasound (ICUS) to reduce stent restenosis (OPTICUS) study, we analyzed ACE serum levels and the ACE gene polymorphism in 154 patients at 9 different centers. All patients underwent elective coronary stent implantation in a stenosis of a major coronary vessel. Balloon inflations were repeated until a satisfactory result was achieved in on-line quantitative coronary angiography or ICUS fulfilling the OPTICUS study criteria. After follow-up of 6 months, all patients underwent reangiography under identical projections as the baseline procedure. A blinded quantitative analysis of the initial procedure as well as the follow-up examinations were performed by an independent core laboratory. ACE gene polymorphism and ACE serum activity were measured at the 6-month follow-up in a double-blinded setting.
Results: With respect to the ACE gene polymorphism, there were three subgroups: DD genotype (48 patients), ID (83 patients) and II (23 patients). The subgroups did not differ in regard to age, gender, extent of coronary artery disease, stenosis length, initial degree of stenosis or degree of stenosis after stent implantation. In all, 39 patients (25.3%) had significant restenosis: 12 DD patients (25.0%), 18 ID patients (21.7%) and 9 II patients (39.1%) (odds ratio 2.164, 95% confidence interval 0.853-5.493). We obtained the following results for ACE serum levels: 0.53 micromol/l/s in the DD subgroup, 0.29 micromol/l/s in the ID subgroup and 0.09 micromol/l/s in the II subgroup (p < 0.001). Multivariate logistic regression analysis of the influence of ACE gene polymorphism on the restenosis rate after coronary stent implantation adjusted for lesion length (>12 mm), ACE inhibitor or hydroxymethylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase (CSE) inhibitor treatment, age, male gender, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, high cholesterol, family history, smoking and three-vessel disease did not uncover any statistic significance.
Conclusions: In contrast to other study groups, we were unable to disclose that the DD polymorphism of the ACE gene was associated with a higher rate of restenosis after coronary stent implantation in this multicenter study. In addition, patients with higher ACE serum levels did not show a higher restenosis rate in this trial. We conclude that the pathogenesis of restenosis is a multifactorial process involving various genetic and nongenetic factors.
Copyright 2002 S. Karger AG, Basel