<i>COMT</i> Val158Met (rs4680) polymorphism and vital exhaustion in an open 45–64-year-old population (international epidemiological WHO MONICA and HAPIEE programs)

Abstract

Objective: to study the association of the polymorphic genotypes of rs4680 in the catechol-O-methyl transferase (COMT) gene with vital exhaustion (VE) in a 45–64-year-old population. Patients and methods. A representative sample of a 45–64-year-old population (781 men and 869 women) was surveyed within screening IV of the international Health, Alcohol and Psychological Factors in Eastern Europe (HAPIEE) program and the WHO MONICA-psychosocial program in 2003-2005. All the study participants filled out a VE scale of the WHO MONICA-psychosocial program. COMT Val158Met (rs4680) polymorphism was genotyped. Pearson' χ2 test was used to test the statistical significance of differences between these groups. The statistical significance level was taken to be p≤0.05 in all types of analysis. Results and discussion. Heterozygous G/A polymorphism in the COMT gene was most common in both the general population (48.6%) and men (44.4%) and women (51.5%). In the general population, the A/A genotype was more common in individuals with a high VE (HVE) level; in women and men, it was detected in 13.3 and 30.8% of cases, respectively. The G/G genotype prevailed in individuals with moderate VE in both the general population (31.1%) and women (29.7%) and men (33.3%). Conclusion. In the general population, the A/A genotype was found to be more common in individuals with HVE (18.6%), in women (13.3) and in men (30.8%).

Keywords

• <i>comt</i> gene
• val158met
• vital exhaustion
• population
• men
• women