It has been shown recently that the variable expression of the platelet collagen receptor integrin alpha2beta1 predisposes to thrombotic risk on the one hand and hemorrhagic risk on the other hand. The level of expression of the integrin alpha2beta1 is genetically controlled and associated with the alpha2-807 dimorphism. The expression level of this platelet collagen receptor may play a central role in the rapidly evolving coronary artery lesions that lead to malignant arrhythmia and sudden cardiac death. We studied allelic frequencies of the alpha2-807 dimorphism for their relation as a risk factor for malignant arrhythmia in a well-defined subgroup of patients with coronary artery disease. We compared allelic frequencies (by sequence specific primer polymerase chain reaction) of the dimorphism that is associated with integrin alpha2beta1 levels in 94 Caucasoid survivors of sudden cardiac death with a matched group of 106 patients with coronary artery disease without sudden cardiac death. Gene frequencies in the patient groups did not differ and were similar to those in the general population represented by 217 healthy individuals. There was no overrepresentation of an allele in any group. The inherited dimorphism that is associated with the levels of platelet integrin alpha2beta1 is not associated with malignant arrhythmia in coronary artery disease patients.
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