title: Serotonin transporter polymorphisms in patients with portopulmonary hypertension.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The long allele of a functional promoter polymorphism in the serotonin transporter (SERT) is associated with an increased risk of some forms of pulmonary arterial hypertension. We hypothesized that the long allele or other polymorphisms in SERT would be associated with an increased risk of portopulmonary hypertension (PPHTN) in patients with advanced liver disease.
  
  
  METHODS
  We performed a multicenter case-control study. Subjects undergoing liver transplant evaluation at seven centers were prospectively screened for the presence of PPHTN using transthoracic echocardiography. PPHTN was confirmed by right heart catheterization using standard criteria.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The study sample included 30 case patients with PPHTN and 109 control subjects with advanced liver disease. There was no significant association between the long allele and case status in an adjusted additive model (odds ratio, 0.63; 95% confidence interval, 0.33 to 1.21; p = 0.17). If anything, LL genotype tended to be associated with a lower risk of PPHTN. There were no associations between other SERT polymorphisms and PPHTN.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  SERT polymorphisms are not associated with the risk of PPHTN in patients with advanced liver disease. Other clinical or genetic risk factors may play a role in this complication of portal hypertension.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Tufts Medical Center, Boston, MA.
authors.forename: Kari E
authors.initials: KE
authors.lastname: Roberts
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, University of Alabama, Birmingham, AL.
authors.forename: Michael B
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Fallon
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN.
authors.forename: Michael J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Krowka
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, University of Alabama, Birmingham, AL.
authors.forename: Raymond L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Benza
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA.
authors.forename: James A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Knowles
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, University of Colorado, Denver, CO.
authors.forename: David B
authors.initials: DB
authors.lastname: Badesch
authors.affiliation: the Department of Medicine, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, NY.
authors.forename: Robert S
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Brown
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA.
authors.forename: Darren B
authors.initials: DB
authors.lastname: Taichman
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, University of Colorado, Denver, CO.
authors.forename: James
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Trotter
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC.
authors.forename: Steven
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zacks
authors.affiliation: the Department of Medicine, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, NY.
authors.forename: Evelyn M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Horn
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA. Electronic address: kawut@mail.med.upenn.edu.
authors.forename: Steven M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Kawut
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000483:Alleles; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D017548:Echocardiography, Transesophageal; D005260:Female; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D006975:Hypertension, Portal / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000235:genetics*; D006976:Hypertension, Pulmonary / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000235:genetics*; D015994:Incidence; D008107:Liver Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000601:surgery; D016031:Liver Transplantation; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016017:Odds Ratio; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide; D011300:Preoperative Care / Q000379:methods; D011336:Probability; D011379:Prognosis; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D050486:Serotonin Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D015996:Survival Rate
chemical_list: D050486:Serotonin Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins