Abstract

Background: ß adrenergic receptors (AR) are highly polymorphic and important regulators of cardiovascular homeostasis. Among these, ß1 and ß2 AR regulate cardiac contractility and frequency and are important pharmacological targets. Aim: To evaluate genotype and gene-gene interaction between ß1-AR Arg389Gly and ß2-AR Arg16Gly, Gln27Glu and Thr164Ile polymorphisms, as risk factors for HF. Material and methods: Eighty chronic HF patients and eighty-eight controls matched by age and sex were genotyped for ß1-AR Arg389Gly, ß2-AR Arg16Gly, Gln27Glu and Thr164Ile polymorphisms. Results: The presence of ß2-AR Glu allele was a risk predictor for HF (odds ratio (OR) =2.81; 95% confidence intervals (CI) =1.49-5.31). Interactions that increased the risk for HF were found in patients carrying at least one of the ß2-AR Glu and ß2-AR Gly allele (OR =3.81; 95% CI =1.50-0.70) and ß2-AR Glu and ß1-AR Gly allele combination (OR =5.51; 95% CI =2.19-13.86). Furthermore, the frequency of ß2-AR Glu allele was higher among patients with a history of acute myocardial infarction (with infarction: 0.534, without: 0.313, p =0.01). Conclusions: ß2-AR Glu allele could be a risk predictor for HF. This risk could be enhanced by the additional presence of ß2-AR Gly16 or ß1-AR Arg389 alleles. The frequency of ß2-AR Gln27 Glu allele was higher among patients with a history of myocardial infarction (Rev Méd Chile 2008; 136: 1371-80).