Polymorphisms of genes encoding coagulation factors II, V, VII, and XIII in relation to pediatric ischemic stroke:...

The investigation of a possible association between the FII, FV, FVII, and FXIII genes polymorphisms and pediatric ischemic stroke (IS).

The study group consisted of 392 individuals, including 81 children with IS, their biological parents (n=162), and 149 control children. The polymorphisms were genotyped using polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragments length polymorphism method. The relation between analyzed polymorphisms and the disease was tested by 2 independent methods: family-based association test-transmission/disequilibrium test (TDT) and classic case-control model.

We did not observe any preferential distribution of any analyzed allele from parents to the affected children. For the FVII gene polymorphism, there was a trend toward a higher frequency of the R allele. In a case-control model, the differences between the patients and controls in the frequency of the Q allele, Q allele carriers, and RR homozygotes lay close to the border of statistical significance (P=0.08). There were no significant differences in genotype and allele distribution between patients and controls in case of other polymorphisms.

Analyzed polymorphisms of coagulation factors are not significant determinants of pediatric IS in the studied population; however, these findings require a confirmation in a larger group of participants.