title: Association between 22 cytokine gene polymorphisms and dilated cardiomyopathy in Macedonian patients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Inflammation is an important component in the pathogenesis of many cardiovascular diseases and one of the commonest mechanisms in cardiomyopathy. There have been several studies on the cytokine polymorphism and dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM), but the results obtained were contradictory.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To examine a possible role of 22 cytokine gene polymorphisms in host susceptibility to or protection against DCM in Macedonians.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this study 301 healthy unrelated individuals and 52 patients with DCM were studied. Cytokine genotyping was performed by PCR with sequence-specific priming (PCR-SSP) (Heidelberg kit).
  
  
  RESULTS
  After the Bonferroni adjustment, the IL-4 -1098/T, IL-4 -1098/T:T, IL-4/TCC, and IL-4/TCC:TTC cytokine genes were positively associated with DCM, while a negative association was identified for IL-4 -1098/G, IL-4 -1098/G:T, IL-1B +3962/C:C, IL-4/GCC, and IL-4/GCC:TTC.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results suggest that some cytokine gene polymorphisms are significantly associated and affect host susceptibility/resistance to DCM in Macedonians.
authors.affiliation: Cardiology Clinic, Faculty of Medicine, Ss. Cyril and Methodius University, Skopje, Republic of Macedonia.
authors.forename: Vera
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Spiroska
authors.forename: Sashko
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kedev
authors.forename: Slobodan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Antov
authors.forename: Dejan
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Trajkov
authors.forename: Aleksandar
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Petlichkovski
authors.forename: Slavica
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hristomanova
authors.forename: Eli
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Djulejic
authors.forename: Meri
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Paneva
authors.forename: Aleksandar
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Senev
authors.forename: Mirko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Spiroski
mesh_terms: D002311:Cardiomyopathy, Dilated / Q000235:genetics*; D016207:Cytokines / Q000235:genetics*; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D005828:Genetics, Population; D006115:Greece; D006239:Haplotypes; D006801:Humans; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D012016:Reference Values; D044465:White People / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines