The aim of the present study was to examine clopidogrel resistance (CR) in patients with ischemic cerebral infarction and its potential association with a single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP; rs1045642) in the ABCB1 gene. Patients with ischemic cerebral infarction received clopidogrel (75 mg/day) for 7 days and were then subjected to a turbidimetric assay to determine platelet aggregation. Patients were then divided into a CR group and a clopidogrel-sensitive (CS) group. Demographic and clinical data between the two groups were compared. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to determine independent risk factors of CR. PCR products were sequenced to assess ABCB1 rs1045642 SNP genotype and allele frequencies in each group. In total, 303 patients were enrolled in the study; this included 51 CR cases (16.83%) and 252 CS cases (83.17%). Several parameters, including hypertension, diabetes, calcium channel blocker (CCB), β-receptor blocking agent and proton pump inhibitor use, and creatinine, fasting blood glucose, homocysteine (HCY), high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) and triglyceride levels were significantly higher in the CR group than in the CS group. Diabetes, hs-CRP-increased use of CCBs, and use of β-blockers were found to be independent risk factors for CR. However, ABCB1 gene rs1045642 polymorphism was not found to be an independent risk factor for CR. In conclusion, CR in ischemic stroke patients is associated with several independent risk factors, including diabetes, hs-CRP-increased use of CCBs, and use of β-blockers. However, ABCB1 gene rs1045642 polymorphism has no correlation with CR.
Keywords: ABCB1 gene; clopidogrel resistance; ischemic stroke; polymorphisms.