Aldehyde Dehydrogenase 2 Gene Mutation May Reduce the Risk of Rupture of Intracranial Aneurysm in Chinese Han Population

Background and Purpose Ruptured intracranial aneurysms (RIA) are associated with a mortality rate of up to 40% in the Chinese population, highlighting the critical need for targeted treatment interventions for at-risk individuals. Although the impact of aldehyde dehydrogenase 2 (<i>ALDH2</i>) gene mutations on susceptibility to intracranial aneurysms (IA) is well documented, the potential connection between <i>ALDH2</i> rs671 single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) and RIA remains unexplored. Given the increased prevalence of <i>ALDH2</i> gene mutations among Chinese Han individuals, it is clinically relevant to investigate the link between <i>ALDH2</i> rs671 SNP and IA rupture.Methods A prospective study was conducted on 546 patients diagnosed with IA to investigate the association between <i>ALDH2</i> rs671 SNP and the risk of IA rupture.Results The <i>ALDH2</i> rs671 SNP (<i>ALDH2*2</i>) was significantly more prevalent in patients with unruptured IA (UIA) than in those with RIA (32.56% vs. 18.58%, <i>P</i>=0.004). Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that people with the <i>ALDH2</i> mutation (<i>ALDH2*1/*2</i> and <i>ALDH2*2/*2</i> gene type) had a significantly reduced odds ratio (OR=0.49; 95% confidence level [CI] 0.27–0.88; <i>P</i>=0.018) for RIAs. Age-specific subgroup analysis indicated that the <i>ALDH2</i> mutation provided a stronger protective effect in individuals aged 60 years and above with IA compared to those under 60 years old (OR=0.38 vs. OR=0.52, both <i>P</i><0.05).Conclusion The incidence of RIA was significantly higher in individuals with a normal <i>ALDH2</i> gene (<i>ALDH2*1/*1</i>) than in those with an <i>ALDH2</i> rs671 SNP (<i>ALDH2*1/*2</i> or <i>ALDH2*2/*2</i>). <i>ALDH2</i> rs671 SNP may serve as a protective factor against RIA in the Chinese Han population.