Objective: To investigate the association among aldehyde dehydrogenase-2 (ALDH2) gene polymorphisms, alcohol flushing and efficacy of nitroglycerin (GTN) in patients with coronary heart disease.
Methods: One hundred and forty two patients with coronary heart disease, who were confirmed by coronary angiography and consistent with the criteria of selection were enrolled in this study. The patients were divided into two groups according to flushing or not after drinking wine: non-flushing group (n = 88) and flushing group (n = 54). The genotypes of ALDH2 were determined with polymerase chain reaction and direct sequencing. The efficacy of nitroglycerin on angina pectoris attacks for all the patients were obtained by observation and inquiry. Basal clinical data and nitroglycerin efficacy between the two groups were compared.
Results: The rate of efficacious response to GTN and ALDH2*1 genotype in non-flushing group were significantly higher than those in the flushing group (89.8% vs 37.0%, P < 0.01; 93.2% vs 44.4%, P < 0.01). The number of patients with angina pectoris attacks ameliorated by GTN in 5 minutes in the non-flushing group were remarkably higher than that in the flushing group (67.1% vs 20.4%, P < 0.01). The rate of efficacious response to GTN was significantly higher in the patients with ALDH2*1 genotype than the patients with ALDH2*2 genotype (81.1% vs 36.1%, P < 0.01) and the efficacious response to GTN in 5 minutes was higher in the patients with ALDH2*1 genotype than those with ALDH2*2 genotype (57.5% vs 11.1%, P < 0.01).
Conclusions: There is relationship among ALDH2 gene polymorphisms, alcohol flushing and efficacy of nitroglycerin. The rate of efficacious response to GTN is significantly higher in non-flushing patients; this may be explained by the effect of gene polymorphisms.