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Thromb Haemost 1991; 65(05): 487-490
DOI: 10.1055/s-0038-1648177
Original Article
Schattauer GmbH Stuttgart

Variation in the Promoter Region of the β Fibrinogen Gene Is Associated with Plasma Fibrinogen Levels in Smokers and Non-Smokers

A E Thomas
1   The Arterial Disease Research Unit, Charing Cross Sunley Research Centre, Hammersmith, London
,
F R Green
1   The Arterial Disease Research Unit, Charing Cross Sunley Research Centre, Hammersmith, London
,
C H Kelleher
2   The MRC Epidemiology and Medical Care Unit, Northwick Park Hospital, Harrow, Middlesex, United Kingdom
,
H C Wilkes
2   The MRC Epidemiology and Medical Care Unit, Northwick Park Hospital, Harrow, Middlesex, United Kingdom
,
P J Brennan
2   The MRC Epidemiology and Medical Care Unit, Northwick Park Hospital, Harrow, Middlesex, United Kingdom
,
T W Meade
2   The MRC Epidemiology and Medical Care Unit, Northwick Park Hospital, Harrow, Middlesex, United Kingdom
,
S E Humphries
1   The Arterial Disease Research Unit, Charing Cross Sunley Research Centre, Hammersmith, London
› Author Affiliations
Further Information

Publication History

Received 03 October 1990

Accepted after revision 27 December 1990

Publication Date:
24 July 2018 (online)

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Summary

We investigated the association between fibrinogen levels and a HaeIII restriction fragment length polymorphism located at −453 bp from the start of transcription of the β fibrinogen gene. 292 healthy men aged 45 to 69 years, recruited from general practices throughout Britain, were studied. None had a history of ischaemic heart disease. 41.1% (120) were smokers and fibrinogen levels were higher in this group. The frequency of the noncutting allele (designated H2) was 0.19 and was the same in smokers and non-smokers. The H2 allele was associated with elevated levels of fibrinogen in both smokers and non-smokers and the effect of genotype was similar in both groups. After smoking, HaeIII genotype was the strongest predictor of fibrinogen levels and explained 3.1% of the variance in fibrinogen levels. These results confirm earlier studies that variation at the fibrinogen locus contributes to the between-individual differences in plasma fibrinogen level.

 

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