Apr. 6, 2001 DALLAS, April 6 ¡V A gene variation may increase
stroke risk among whites - a finding that may lead to early
identification of individuals at increased risk for stroke,
researchers report in the April issue of Stroke: Journal of the
American Heart Association. This gene known as GNƒÒ3 has been
associated with hypertension, increased body mass, low birth
weight, and weight retention after pregnancy. Now researchers
found it also is linked to a 1.5 increased risk of stroke in
whites, but not in blacks. In addition, this association appears
to be independent of blood pressure levels. The results are
surprising for two reasons, says Eric Boerwinkle, Ph.D.,
professor and director of the Human Genetics Center at the
University of Texas Health Science Center in Houston. First, he
says, the gene was only a predictor of clinically recognized
stroke; it was not a predictor of ¡§silent¡¨ strokes that are
not obvious to the patient. The second reason is that it was
predictive of stroke even after considering