title: Polymorphism of the C-reactive protein gene is associated with mortality in bacteraemia.
abstract: C-reactive protein (CRP) is an important molecule in the defence against bacterial infections. To discover if variation in the CRP gene is associated with clinical outcome of bacteraemia, we investigated 147 microbiologically verified bacteraemia patients (mean age 59 y, range 19-93 y) and determined whether CRP -717A>G, +1059G>C or +1444C>T single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were associated with clinical outcome of bacteraemia and/or CRP concentration caused by Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus pneumoniae, beta-haemolytic streptococci or Escherichia coli. The patients were genotyped for CRP gene polymorphisms, CRP was measured and clinical outcomes were recorded. The CRP -717A>G, a promoter region polymorphism was strongly associated with mortality from Streptococcus pneumoniae but did not correlate with plasma CRP concentration. These results suggest that mortality from Streptococcus pneumoniae may be associated with polymorphism of the promoter region of the CRP gene.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Tampere Medical School, Finland. carita.eklund@uta.fi
authors.forename: Carita
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Eklund
authors.forename: Reetta
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Huttunen
authors.forename: Jaana
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Syrjänen
authors.forename: Janne
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Laine
authors.forename: Risto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Vuento
authors.forename: Mikko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hurme
mesh_terms: D016470:Bacteremia / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology / Q000401:mortality; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000235:genetics*; D017714:Community-Acquired Infections / Q000276:immunology* / Q000382:microbiology; D004927:Escherichia coli Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D011008:Pneumococcal Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic / Q000235:genetics; D013290:Streptococcal Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology; D013296:Streptococcus pneumoniae / Q000276:immunology / Q000472:pathogenicity; D016019:Survival Analysis
chemical_list: D002097:C-Reactive Protein