PreventDisease.com - Genetic Factors May Determine Blood Clot Risk



		Genetic Factors May Determine Blood Clot Risk NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Genetic factors have a major impact on levels of blood-clotting proteins in the body, study findings suggest. Because such blood-clotting proteins have been linked to an increased risk of heart disease and stroke, the findings show how important it is to study the genes that orchestrate the formation of blood clots, according to Dr. Peter J. Grant, of the University of Leeds in England, and colleagues. ``Our study has shown that there is a very significant genetic effect on variability in levels of coagulation factors,'' Grant told Reuters Health. In the study, the genetic influence ranged from 41% to 75% depending on the clotting factor. ``This demonstrates the importance of genetics in clotting risk in the general population and gives us the knowledge to search for the genes which cause this,'' Grant said. ``In the longer term, this knowledge will allow us to develop novel therapeutic approaches to prevent clotting disorders such as heart attack and stroke.'' Both heart attacks and strokes can occur when a blood clot becomes lodged in a clogged artery leading to either the heart or brain. While a person's genetic makeup is known to have an effect on the risk of artery clogging, very little is known about the influence of genetics on clotting factors, according to the researchers. To get a better idea of how large of an effect heredity has on clotting factors, Grant's team studied 501 sets of female twins, including 149 identical pairs and 352 fraternal pairs of twins. The researchers analyzed the genetics of blood samples taken from the twins. Writing in the January 13th issue of The Lancet, the authors report that genes appeared to have a moderate to large effect on levels of several types of clotting factors, including fibrinogen, tissue plasminogen activator, and factors VII and VIII. The genes that influence clotting factors may turn out to be no more than ``bit-players in a much bigger picture'' of many genetic factors that affect the risk of cardiovascular disease, the editorialists note. SOURCE: The Lancet 2001;357:83-84, 101-105. Reference Source 89 For more information on prevention topics for this and other conditions, use PreventDisease.com's "Quick Prevention Resources".