Association analysis of the E-selectin 98G > T polymorphism and the risk of childhood ischemic stroke.

Genes related to platelet and arterial endothelial function have been recently considered as independent risk factors for stroke. We aimed to analyze a relationship between the E-selectin 98G > T polymorphism and stroke in children and to observe the transmission of E-selectin alleles from heterozygous parents to their affected children. We studied 59 children after stroke, 112 parents, and 87 healthy children. The E-selectin 98G > T polymorphism was analyzed with the polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) method. The frequency of the 98T allele in patients was almost twofold lower than in controls (5.1% vs. 9.8%, p = 0.145, odds ratios (OR) = 0.49) as well as carriers of the 98T allele (19.5% in controls vs. 8.5% in cases, p = 0.067, OR = 0.38). The G allele of the E-selectin 98G > T polymorphism was more frequently transmitted to the children after stroke compared to the T allele (68% vs. 32%). In conclusion, we did not confirm the relationship between the 98G > T polymorphism of the E-selectin gene and childhood ischemic stroke. There is still a need for further studies.