ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Myocardial infarction is a multifactorial disease. It is provoked by occlusions in the coronary arteries resulting from exposure to multiple risk factors. OBJECTIVE: To study the risk of myocardial infarction associated with the gene polymorphisms of factor V Leiden and factor II (G20210A). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Cases consisted of 100 myocardial infarction patients who were hospitalized in the Principal Military Hospital of Tunis and 200 control subjects with no history of myocardial infarction. RESULTS: The prevalence of the factor V Leiden was higher in myocardial infarction patients (9%) than in control subjects (6%) with an OR=1.55 (95% CI=0.58-4.12), whereas the prevalence of prothrombin G20210A mutation was 3% and 2.5% in the patient and control groups, respectively [OR=1.21 (95% CI=0.22-5.94)]. CONCLUSION: Our results indicate that neither factor V Leiden nor the prothrombin G20210A contributed to the risk factors for myocardial infarction.