Association of methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) gene polymorphism with ischemic stroke in the Eastern Chinese Han population.

The association between the MTHFR genetic polymorphism and ischemic stroke has been reported by a number of investigators. However, the results have been controversial and conflicting. The aim of this study was to explore the association between the MTHFR variants C677T and A1298C and the risk of ischemic stroke in an Eastern Chinese Han population. A total of 199 patients with ischemic stroke and 241 controls were recruited. Genotyping of the MTHFR C677T and A1298C polymorphisms was carried out using the Taqman 7900HT Sequence Detection System. The overall estimates (odds ratio: OR) for the allele (C) and genotype (AC+CC) of the A1298C polymorphism were 1.57 [95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.16-2.10], and 2.36 (95%CI = 1.39-4.00), respectively, establishing significant association of the MTHFR A1298C polymorphism with ischemic stroke. In contrast, there were no statistically significant differences compared to controls between MTHFR C677T polymorphic variants in the association ischemic stroke risk. Furthermore, haplotype-based analysis demonstrated that compared with the C-677-A-1298 haplotype, the C-677-C-1298 and T-677-C-1298 haplotypes showed significant increased risk of ischemic stroke (OR = 1.56; 95%CI = 1.07- 2.2; P = 0.02; OR = 1.76; 95%CI = 1.17-2.65; P < 0.01, respectively). We concluded that the A1298C polymorphism and the haplotypes C-677-C-1298 and T-677-C-1298 in MTHFR might modulate the risk of ischemic stroke in the Eastern Chinese Han population.