Association of NOTCH3 Gene Polymorphisms with Ischemic Stroke and its Subtypes: A Meta-Analysis

Headache and NOTCH3 Gene Variants in Patients with CADASIL

Autosomal dominant cerebral arteriopathy with subcortical infarcts and leukoencephalopathy (CADASIL) is an inherited vascular disease characterized by recurrent strokes, cognitive impairment, psychiatric symptoms, apathy, and migraine. Approximately 40% of patients with CADASIL experience migraine with aura (MA). In addition to MA, CADASIL patients are described in the literature as having migraine without aura (MO) and other types of headaches. Mutations in the NOTCH3 gene cause CADASIL. This study investigated NOTCH3 genetic variants in CADASIL patients and their potential association with headache types. Genetic tests were performed on 30 patients with CADASIL (20 women aged 43.6 ± 11.5 and 10 men aged 39.6 ± 15.8). PCR-HRM and sequencing methods were used in the genetic study. We described three variants as pathogenic/likely pathogenic (p.Tyr189Cys, p.Arg153Cys, p.Cys144Arg) and two benign variants (p.Ala202=, p.Thr101=) in the NOTCH3 gene and also presented the NOTCH3 gene variant (chr19:15192258 G>T), which has not been previously described in the literature. Patients with pathogenic/likely pathogenic variants had similar headache courses. People with benign variants showed a more diverse clinical picture. It seems that different NOTCH3 variants may contribute to the differential presentation of a CADASIL headache, highlighting the diagnostic and prognostic value of headache characteristics in this disease.

eNOS rs2070744 polymorphism might influence predisposition to hemorrhagic cerebral vascular diseases in East Asians: A meta-analysis

INTRODUCTION

Endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) polymorphisms might influence predisposition to hemorrhagic cerebral vascular diseases, but the results of already published studies regarding relationship between eNOS polymorphisms and hemorrhagic cerebral vascular diseases were still controversial.

METHODS

The authors performed this meta-analysis to estimate relationship between eNOS polymorphisms and hemorrhagic cerebral vascular diseases in a larger pooled population by combing the results of already published related studies. The authors searched Pubmed, Embase, Web of Science, and CNKI for already published studies.

RESULTS

Eighteen already published studies were pooled analyzed in this meta-analysis. The pooled meta-analyses results showed that eNOS rs2070744 polymorphism was significantly associated with predisposition to hemorrhagic cerebral vascular diseases in East Asians (dominant comparison: OR = 0.77, p = .01; overdominant comparison: OR = 1.24, p = .04; allele comparison: OR = 0.78, p = .006) Nevertheless, the pooled meta-analyses did not reveal any positive results for eNOS rs1799983 and rs869109213 polymorphisms.

CONCLUSIONS

This meta-analysis suggested that eNOS rs2070744 polymorphism, but not rs1799983 and rs869109213 polymorphisms, might influence predisposition to hemorrhagic cerebral vascular diseases in East Asians.