Understanding the transition to acute illness: the promise of perioperative genomics.
Over the last decades, tremendous advances have been made in understanding the genomic basis of a large number of chronic human diseases. Such advances were made possible by studying large numbers of patients over relatively long periods of time. It is increasingly recognized that acute robust stress stimulates pathways activated in chronic disease, facilitating mechanistic studies in much shorter time frames. A new field of molecular medicine, called perioperative genomics, uses robust surgical stress as a perturbation designed to explore such mechanisms. This new field is described briefly below.
Turer
Aslan T
AT
Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA. turer001@mc.duke.edu
Schwinn
Debra A
DA
D000208:Acute Disease; D018450:Disease Progression; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D023281:Genomics / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D007432:Intraoperative Period; D011184:Postoperative Period; D057234:Preoperative Period; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D013312:Stress, Physiological / Q000235:genetics*; D013514:Surgical Procedures, Operative / Q000009:adverse effects*; D013997:Time Factors