Intercellular adhesion molecule-1 G241R polymorphism predicts risk of incident ischemic stroke: Atherosclerosis risk in communities study

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE-: Intercellular adhesion molecule-1 levels are increased in pathological studies of atherosclerosis. We evaluated 13 491 participants from the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study to determine the association of intercellular adhesion molecule-1 G241R and K469E polymorphisms with incident coronary heart disease and ischemic stroke. METHODS-: Incidences of ischemic stroke (N=517) and coronary heart disease (N=1629) through 2003 were determined by annual telephone calls and hospital and death certificate surveillance. Risk factors were measured at the baseline examination. Cox proportional-hazards models were used to estimate hazard rate ratios. RESULTS-: The intercellular adhesion molecule-1 G241RR genotype was associated with a significantly increased risk of ischemic stroke in both whites (hazard rate ratio=2.18; 95% CI, 1.01 to 4.68; P=0.05) and blacks (hazard rate ratio=7.04; 95% CI, 3.72 to 13.3; P<0.001). CONCLUSIONS-: The intercellular adhesion molecule-1 241RR genotype is associated with an increased risk of incident ischemic stroke in both whites and blacks.