At least ten genes, the length of the QT interval on the electrocardiogram (ECG) and the risk of sudden cardiac death. This resulted in two genome-wide association studies in Nature Genetics (2009, doi: 10.1038/ng.362 and ng.364).
It is known that extension or shortening of the QT interval on the ECG significantly increase the risk of ventricular arrhythmias and sudden cardiac death. Known was that the variations in QT interval are genetic reasons. It was, therefore, to look at genome-wide association studies for the responsible gene variants.
was in this way the American-German working group led by Aravinda Chakravarti, then still at the Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, now at University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, and Arne Pfeufer of Helmholtz Centre in Munich three years ago (Nature Genetics 2006; 38: 644-651) to a variant in the gene NOS1AP "encountered, which influences the repolarization in the conduction system of the heart. "NOS1AP" explains only about 1.5 percent of the differences in the QT interval, so there must be other genetic variants.
As part of its research consortium "QTSCD" Chakravarti Pfeufer and therefore have the ECG and the genome data of 15,000 persons from Germany, Italy and the United States compared, which led to the discovery of nine additional gene variants. Four are located near the trigger of a known monogenic long QT syndrome, which makes a biological context, very likely, two more are in the vicinity of genes that affect the electrophysiology of the heart, so they also should not be a fluke. Only in the remaining three genes Researchers can currently not yet explain the pathophysiological context.
The validity of the study results is increased by the fact that a second science consortium, our findings, has come to almost identical results. In other studies, the researchers want to examine what effects a positive test result for each patient.
genetic tests could also be of interest for drug therapy, since a number of drugs prolong the QT interval. Genetic studies could clarify this in future, a drug which patients can safely take and which ones it would be contraindicated.
© rme/ aerzteblatt.de
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