Morphogenetic Variability and Hypertension in Ischemic Stroke Patients-Preliminary Study.

Area of Science:

• Genetics
• Neurology
• Human Physiology

Background:

• Ischemic stroke is a leading cause of disability and mortality worldwide.
• Understanding the genetic underpinnings of ischemic stroke is crucial for developing targeted therapies.
• Morphogenetic variability and homozygosity may play a role in stroke pathogenesis.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare morphogenetic variability and recessive homozygosity between ischemic stroke patients and healthy controls.
• To investigate the influence of hypertension on these genetic factors in stroke patients.
• To identify potential genetic markers associated with ischemic stroke risk.

Main Methods:

• Evaluated 120 ischemic stroke patients (64 without hypertension, 56 with hypertension) and 194 healthy controls.
• Assessed homozygously recessive characteristics (HRCs) by testing 19 specific HRCs.
• Utilized statistical analysis, including chi-squared tests and t-tests, to compare HRC frequencies and mean values.

Main Results:

• Significant differences in HRC individual variations and mean values were observed between ischemic stroke patients and controls (p < 0.01).
• Ischemic stroke patients exhibited higher mean HRC values (6.25 ± 1.54) compared to controls (5.71 ± 1.61, p = 0.012).
• Hypertension status significantly impacted HRC frequencies in both control and ischemic stroke groups (p < 0.003 and p < 0.001, respectively).

Conclusions:

• Patients with manifested ischemic stroke demonstrate increased recessive homozygosity and decreased genetic variability compared to healthy individuals.
• The findings suggest a potential genetic predisposition to ischemic stroke, influenced by homozygosity.
• Further research is warranted to explore the specific genetic mechanisms and clinical implications of these findings.