title: CFTR polymorphisms in patients with alcoholic chronic pancreatitis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Pancreas susceptibility to alcohol is variable and only 5-10% of chronic alcohol abusers develop chronic pancreatitis; the role of genetic factors in this process is unknown. The CFTR gene encodes a protein that acts on epithelial cells and plays a key role in normal exocrine pancreatic function.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study investigated the frequency of polymorphisms in intron 8 of the CFTR gene in patients with alcoholic chronic pancreatitis. Three groups of patients were studied: group A - 68 adult alcoholics with a diagnosis of chronic pancreatitis; group B - 68 adult alcoholics without pancreatic disease or liver cirrhosis and group C - 104 healthy nonalcoholic adults.
  
  
  RESULTS
  T5/T7 genotype was more frequent in group A (11.8%) than in group B (2.9%) (p = 0.0481), and there was no statistical difference when groups A and C (5.8%) were compared (p = 0.1317). The haplotype combination (TG)10-T7/(TG)11-T7 was more frequent in groups B (23.5%) and C (20.2%) than in group A (7.3%) (p = 0.0080 and 0.0162).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There are differences when these three groups are compared and individuals with T5/T7 genotype might have a greater risk of developing chronic pancreatitis when they become chronic alcoholics.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, University of São Paulo, School of Medicine, São Paulo, Brazil. marianges@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Marianges Zadrozny Gouvêa
authors.initials: MZ
authors.lastname: da Costa
authors.forename: Dulce Reis
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Guarita
authors.forename: Suzane Kioko
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Ono-Nita
authors.forename: Jerônimo de Alencar
authors.initials: Jde A
authors.lastname: Nogueira
authors.forename: Marcelo Eidi
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Nita
authors.forename: Denise Cerqueira
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Paranaguá-Vezozzo
authors.forename: Marcelo Tavares
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: de Souza
authors.forename: Eliane Pereira
authors.initials: EP
authors.lastname: do Carmo
authors.forename: Ana Cristina de Sá
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Teixeira
authors.forename: Flair José
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Carrilho
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000235:genetics*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D019005:Cystic Fibrosis Transmembrane Conductance Regulator / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D006239:Haplotypes; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010179:Pancreas / Q000378:metabolism*; D019512:Pancreatitis, Alcoholic / Q000235:genetics*; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic
chemical_list: D019005:Cystic Fibrosis Transmembrane Conductance Regulator