Relationship between platelet activating factor acetylhydrolase genetic polymorphism and platelet activation and prognosis in patients with ischemic stroke

Objective To investigate the corelation between platelet activating factor acetylhydrolase (PAF-AH) genetic polymorphism and ischemic stroke. Methods The plasma PAF-AH genotype was determined in 205 patients with iachemic stroke and 114 normal subjects by the polymerase chain reaction. The levels of plasma platelet activating factor (PAF), platelet α-granule membrane glycoprotein-140(GMP-140), β-thromboglobulin (β-TG) and the levels of platelet factor 4 (PF4) were analyzed. Results The prevalence of the mutation genotype and plasma PAF, GMP-140, β-TG and PF4 in the patients with isehemic stroke [42.44%,(91.08 ± 39.10) ng/L, (36.46 ± 13.10) μg/L, (41.75 ± 11.18) μg/L, (29.05 ± 9.16) g/L, respectively] were significantly higher than those in the controls[21.05%,(64.30 ± 18.81) ng/L, (18.27 ± 7.68) μg/L, (30.94 ± 8.47) μg/L, (18.75 ± 6.06) μg/L](P< 0.01). The levels of plasma PAF, GMP-140 were significantly higher in mutation genotype patients than those in the normal genotype patients (P < 0.01). Conclusions The activation function of platelet in the acute phase of patients with ischemic stroke increases, and it is associated with genetic polymorphism of PAF-AH. The PAF-AH gene mutation may be a novel genetic marker for high risk of ischemic stroke. Key words: Cerebrovascular anident; Platelet activation; 1-Alkyl-2-acetylglycerophospho-choline esterase; Gene polymorphism