Work

Analysis of the association between SLCO1B1 gene polymorphisms and coronary heart disease risk in southern Han Chinese population and statin responses in the elderly

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: Objective Research on SLCO1B1 polymorphisms and statin therapy in elderly patients is limited and controversial. This study explored the association of SLCO1B1 c.521T>C and c.388A>G variants with coronary heart disease (CHD) risk, and evaluated the lipid-lowering efficacy and safety of standard-dose statins in subjects aged >75 years to provide evidence for geriatric clinical statin use. Methods A retrospective cohort study analyzed 6,146 individuals who were genotyped SLCO1B1 variants c.521T>C and c.388A>G. 2318 participants were selected to evaluate the prevalence of diseases. 118 subjects (>75 years) were categorized into statin-treated ( n = 57) and control ( n = 61) groups. Lipid indices, liver function tests and muscle injury marker were measured by standard techniques. Results The SLCO1B1 c.521C allele was independently associated with increased CHD risk (odds ratio [OR] = 1.37, 95% CI:1.06–1.77, P = 0.02). Statin therapy significantly reduced total cholesterol (TC: 3.70 ± 0.88 vs. 4.18 ± 0.84 mmol/L, P = 0.004) and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C: 1.88 ± 0.70 vs. 2.17 ± 0.61 mmol/L, P = 0.04) without elevating hepatic transaminases or creatine kinase ( P > 0.05). Carriers of the c.388A allele exhibited greater TC/LDL-C reductions compared to c.388GG homozygotes ( P < 0.05), whereas the c.521T > C polymorphism showed no significant impact on therapeutic efficacy or safety outcomes. Conclusions The SLCO1B 1 c.521C allele represents an independent genetic marker for CHD susceptibility in the southern Han Chinese population. In geriatric populations, standard-dose statin therapy maintains lipid-lowering efficacy and safety, unaffected by the SLCO1B1 c.521T>C polymorphism. Our findings provide a genetic screening tool for the primary prevention of cardiovascular diseases and offer support for the efficacy and safety of statin-based lipid-lowering therapy in adults aged >75 years.

Source: Frontiers in Cardiovascular Medicine

DOI: 10.3389/fcvm.2026.1645446