Association of angiotensin-converting enzyme polymorphism with coronary artery disease in Iranian patients with unipolar depression.

OBJECTIVES: Major depressive disorder (MDD) is an increasingly recognized risk factor of coronary artery disease (CAD). The aim of this study was to assess the relationship between renin-angiotensin system (RAS) genetic polymorphisms and CAD in a sample of depressed Iranian patients. DESIGN AND METHODS: A total of 191 patients with a history of unipolar depression were enrolled in a case/control study. The presence of MDD was reconfirmed at study entry using DSM-IV criteria and CAD was diagnosed by coronary angiography. Genotyping of six RAS genes polymorphisms was performed by a modified PCR-RFLP method.
RESULTS: DD genotype of ACE I/D was independently associated with the incidence of CAD in depressed patients (P=0.011, OR=9.41, 95% CI: 1.68-17.81). Moreover, serum creatinine (P=0.033, OR=11.91, 95%CI: 7.23-15.62) was an independent predictor of CAD among depressed individuals.
CONCLUSION: ACE I/D polymorphism may play a major role in the development of CAD amongst Iranian depressed patients.