Toll-like receptor 4 D299G polymorphism and the incidence of infections in cirrhotic patients.
BACKGROUND
Toll-like receptor (TLR) 4 genetic polymorphisms, mainly D299G, have been associated with increased predisposition to infection in several populations.


OBJECTIVE
To retrospectively analyse the relationship between the presence of the TLR4 D299G polymorphism and the incidence of bacterial infections in cirrhotic patients.


METHODS
We included 111 consecutive cirrhotic patients hospitalized with ascites and we determined the presence of the TLR4 D299G polymorphism by PCR-RFLP (polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism) and its relationship with the incidence of previous bacterial infections.


RESULTS
Ten out of 111 (9%) cirrhotic patients presented with the TLR4 D299G polymorphism. The mean follow-up from first decompensation of cirrhosis until current admission was longer in D299G polymorphism patients than in wild-type patients (53.8 +/- 40.7 vs. 35.4 +/- 48.3 months, P = 0.03). D299G polymorphism patients showed a trend towards a higher incidence of history of previous infections (80% vs. 56.4%, P = 0.19), as well as a higher number of infections (2.8 +/- 2.3 vs. 1.0 +/- 1.3, P = 0.01) and bacteriaemias (0.4 +/- 1.0 vs. 0.04 +/- 0.2, P = 0.02) per patient than wild-type patients.


CONCLUSIONS
Toll-like receptor 4 D299G polymorphism could influence not only the predisposition to bacterial infections but also the evolution of the disease in cirrhotic patients. Further prospective studies in larger series of patients are warranted.
Guarner-Argente
C
C
Department of Gastroenterology, Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, Barcelona, Spain.
Sánchez
E
E
Vidal
S
S
Román
E
E
Concepción
M
M
Poca
M
M
Sánchez
D
D
Juárez
C
C
Soriano
G
G
Guarner
C
C
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000235:genetics*; D004812:Epidemiologic Methods; D005260:Female; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000235:genetics*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012150:Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length; D051197:Toll-Like Receptor 4 / Q000235:genetics*; D055815:Young Adult
D051197:Toll-Like Receptor 4