Carotid Intima-Media Thickness Is Associated With Allelic Variants of Stromelysin-1, Interleukin-6, and Hepatic Lipase Genes

Abstract

Carotid IMT is higher among subjects homozygous for functional variants in genes related to matrix deposition (MMP3 -16126A), inflammation (IL6 -174G), and lipid metabolism (HL -480C). These associations were independent of race-ethnicity and some environmental exposures. Further studies are needed to confirm these genotype-phenotype associations.