Cardiovascular risk in relation to functionality of sequence variants in the gene coding for the low-density lipoprotein receptor: a study among 29 365 individuals tested for 64 specific low-density lipoprotein-receptor sequence variants

A plethora of mutations in the LDL-receptor gene (LDLR) underlie the clinical phenotype of familial hypercholesterolaemia (FH). For the diagnosis of FH, it is important, however, to discriminate between pathogenic and non-pathogenic mutations. The aim of the current study was to assess whether true pathogenic mutations were indeed associated with the occurrence of coronary artery disease (CAD) when compared with non-functional variants. The latter variants should not exhibit such an association with CAD.