Length Polymorphisms in the Angiotensin I-Converting Enzyme Gene and the Serotonin-Transporter-Linked Polymorphic Region Constitute a Risk Haplotype for Depression in Patients with Coronary Artery Disease.

Genetic variations affecting the course of depressive symptoms in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) have not yet been well studied. Therefore, we set out to investigate whether distinct haplotypes of the two insertion/deletion polymorphisms in the serotonin-transporter-linked polymorphic region (5-HTTLPR) and the angiotensin I-converting enzyme (ACE) gene located on chromosome 17 can be identified as risk factors for trajectories of depression. Clinical and genotyping data were derived from 507 depressed CAD patients participating in the randomized, controlled, multicenter Stepwise Psychotherapy Intervention for Reducing Risk in Coronary Artery Disease (SPIRR-CAD) trial, of whom the majority had an acute cardiac event before study inclusion.