[Association of tumor necrosis factor microsatellites TNF with the susceptibility to and outcome of postoperative severe sepsis].
OBJECTIVE
To investigate whether tumor necrosis factor microsatellites TNFa and TNFb were associated with the susceptibility to and outcome of post operative severe sepsis.


METHODS
122 postoperative patients suffering from severe sepsis and 138 ethnically matched healthy individuals (controls) were included in this study. The genotypes of microsatellites TNFa and TNFb were analyzed using modified nested-PCR followed by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis with silver staining.


RESULTS
Microsatellites TNFa and TNFb consisted of 14 alleles (TNFa1-14) and 5 alleles (TNFb1, 3-5, 7) respectively. The frequency of TNFa6 microsatellite allele was significantly higher in patients with severe sepsis than in controls (20.1% versus 10.5%, P < 0.05). The frequency of TNFa2 microsatellite allele was significantly lower in patients with severe sepsis than in controls (21.3% versus 31.5%, P < 0.05). Furthermore, among patients with severe sepsis, the frequency of TNFa10 microsatellite allele was significantly higher in non-survivors than in survivors (19.5% versus 9.5%, P < 0.05). Whereas, there was no significant difference in the distribution of TNFb microsatellite alleles between patients and controls, and non-survivors and survivors (both P > 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
Microsatellite TNFa is significantly associated with both the susceptibility to and outcome of severe sepsis. In contrast, microsatellite TNFb is neither associated with the susceptibility to severe sepsis nor with the outcome of severe sepsis.
Shu
Qiang
Q
Children's Hospital, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310003 China.
Fang
Xiangming
X
Frank
Stueber
S
D004198:Disease Susceptibility; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008233:Lymphotoxin-alpha / Q000235:genetics*; D008297:Male; D018895:Microsatellite Repeats; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000209:etiology* / Q000401:mortality; D011379:Prognosis; D018805:Sepsis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000401:mortality; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000235:genetics*
D008233:Lymphotoxin-alpha; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha