The −1185 A/G and −1051 G/A dimorphisms in the von Willebrand factor gene promoter and risk of myocardial infarction

Elevated plasma von Willebrand factor (VWF) levels are associated with coronary artery disease, although the precise mechanism for this is unclear. Recently, four linked dimorphisms in the VWF gene promoter were demonstrated to influence plasma VWF level. We conducted a case–control study of 525 acute myocardial infarction (MI) cases and 451 control subjects, all aged 75 years, to assess the potential contribution of two of these dimorphisms (−1185 G/A and −1051 A/G) to the risk of MI. The frequency of the −1185A/−1051G haplotype, associated with elevated VWF levels, was similar in the case and control groups, yielding a haplotypic odds ratio for MI of 0·93 (95% CI 0·77, 1·12, P = 0·43), and there was no significant association between the −1185A/−1051G haplotype and the risk of MI in any subgroup analysed. We therefore conclude that possession of the −1185A/−1051G haplotype does not confer an increased risk for MI.