Several common variants modulate heart rate, PR interval and QRS duration

Nat Genet. 2010 Feb;42(2):117-22. doi: 10.1038/ng.511. Epub 2010 Jan 10.

Abstract

Electrocardiographic measures are indicative of the function of the cardiac conduction system. To search for sequence variants that modulate heart rate, PR interval and QRS duration in individuals of European descent, we performed a genome-wide association study in approximately 10,000 individuals and followed up the top signals in an additional approximately 10,000 individuals. We identified several genome-wide significant associations (with P < 1.6 x 10(-7)). We identified one locus for heart rate (MYH6), four for PR interval (TBX5, SCN10A, CAV1 and ARHGAP24) and four for QRS duration (TBX5, SCN10A, 6p21 and 10q21). We tested for association between these loci and subjects with selected arrhythmias in Icelandic and Norwegian case-control sample sets. We observed correlations between TBX5 and CAV1 and atrial fibrillation (P = 4.0 x 10(-5) and P = 0.00032, respectively), between TBX5 and advanced atrioventricular block (P = 0.0067), and between SCN10A and pacemaker implantation (P = 0.0029). We also replicated previously described associations with the QT interval.

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Arrhythmias, Cardiac / complications
  • Arrhythmias, Cardiac / genetics
  • Arrhythmias, Cardiac / physiopathology
  • Atrial Fibrillation / complications
  • Atrial Fibrillation / genetics
  • Atrial Fibrillation / physiopathology
  • Atrioventricular Block / complications
  • Atrioventricular Block / genetics
  • Atrioventricular Block / physiopathology
  • Cardiac Myosins / genetics
  • Electrocardiography*
  • Female
  • Genetic Loci / genetics
  • Genetic Variation*
  • Genome-Wide Association Study
  • Heart Conduction System / physiology*
  • Heart Rate / genetics*
  • Humans
  • Iceland
  • Inheritance Patterns / genetics
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Myosin Heavy Chains / genetics
  • Pacemaker, Artificial
  • Reproducibility of Results
  • Sick Sinus Syndrome / complications
  • Sick Sinus Syndrome / genetics
  • Sick Sinus Syndrome / physiopathology

Substances

  • MYH6 protein, human
  • Cardiac Myosins
  • Myosin Heavy Chains

Associated data

  • GEO/GPL3991
  • GEO/GSE7965