title: Frequency and enzyme activity of the butyrylcholinesterase K-variant in a Turkish population.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Among variants of the butyrylcholinesterase gene ( BChE), the K-variant causing Ala539Thr substitution is the most common one associated with about one-third reduction in the enzyme activity. This study aimed to detect the frequency of the K-variant allele in a Turkish population sample and also to evaluate how the plasma BChE activity was influenced by this variant.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients administered for elective surgery ( n=77) were examined for the presence of the K allele. The enzyme activity was determined in plasma.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The K-variant of BChE is a common allele with a frequency of 0.266 (CI(95%) 0.196-0.336) in our sample from a Turkish population. Mean enzyme activity in subjects homozygous for the K-variant was about 40% lower than other subjects.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The frequency of the BChE K-variant was significantly higher in a Turkish population than those reported for other populations and it is associated with a diminished enzyme activity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Hacettepe University Faculty of Medicine, Sihhiye, 06100 Ankara, Turkey. babaoglu@hacettepe.edu.tr
authors.forename: Melih O
authors.initials: MO
authors.lastname: Babaoglu
authors.forename: Turgay
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ocal
authors.forename: Banu
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Bayar
authors.forename: S Oguz
authors.initials: SO
authors.lastname: Kayaalp
authors.forename: Atila
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bozkurt
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000483:Alleles; D002091:Butyrylcholinesterase / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D005828:Genetics, Population; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010597:Pharmacogenetics; D014421:Turkey
chemical_list: D002091:Butyrylcholinesterase