CYP2C19 gene polymorphism and its impact on the long-term prognosis after myocardial infarction

Background: Despite advanced in interventional and medical treatment, mortality after myocardial infarction (MI) remains high, which necessitates the search for predictors of poor outcome. An association between the gene CYP2C19 alleles with lower functional activity and the rates of cardiovascular events has been found. In a number of studies, negative impact of the *2 and *3 alleles of this polymorphic gene on the post-infarction course was shown. However, in most of these studies the patients were followed up from 3 months to 1 year. Aim: To evaluate the effect of CYP2C19 gene polymorphism (*2, *3) on the long-term prognosis in patients with a history of ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). Materials and methods: This open-label prospective two-center study included 145 patients aged 45 to 75 years with a history of STEMI. For 1 year from STEMI on, all the patients were taking medications recommended for outcome improvement, such as statins, clopidogrel as a component of dual antiplatelet therapy, beta-blockers, angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors. The outcomes were assessed at 12 months by the endpoints of cardiovascular death and recurrent non-fatal MI, and at 5 years by the endpoints of overall mortality and recurrent non-fatal MI. Results: During one year of the follow up, 7 of 145 patients (4.8%) died from cardiovascular causes. Recurrent MI occurred in 8.3% (n = 12) of the patients. The carriers of *1*2 and *1*3 genotypes of the polymorphic CYP2C19 gene were 3.27-fold more likely to experience recurrent MI within 1 year, compared to the carriers of other genotypes (relative risk = 3.27 [95% confidence interval 1.03; 10.36], p = 0.03). After 5 years of the follow up, this association has disappeared. No influence of the assessed polymorphisms on overall and cardiovascular mortality was found (p 0.05). One hundred and seven (107) patients were followed up for 5 years; 14 (13.0%) of them died, other 15 patients (14.0%) had recurrent MIs. Conclusion: *2 and *3 alleles of the polymorphic CYP2C19 gene responsible for the metabolism of clopidogrel, are risk factors of an unfavorable 12-month outcome after STEMI. Subsequently, the influence of the CYP2C19 gene polymorphism on the outcomes evades and is not associated with a 5-year prognosis. To improve post-STEMI outcomes at 1 year, it is necessary to implement the earliest personalized approached to antiplatelet treatment based on the results of the CYP2C19 gene polymorphism analysis.