title: The CHI3L1 rs4950928 polymorphism is associated with asthma-related hospital admissions in children and young adults.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Asthma exacerbations are the commonest cause of medical admissions in childhood. These have a significant effect on quality of life and are a major financial burden on worldwide healthcare services. A range of gene-environment interactions may influence the course and severity of asthma in children and their response to medication. The Chitinase 3-like 1 (CHI3L1)-131C>G genotype (rs4950928) is associated with increased asthma susceptibility and severity in adults.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To study the interactions of the Chitinase 3-Like-1 functional promoter SNP rs4950928 and its role on asthma exacerbations in a population of children and young adults with asthma.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional survey was undertaken using medical records and direct interviews of 1,071 children and young adults with asthma, aged 3 to 22 years, from Scotland. Saliva samples were collected for genotyping. Binary logistic regression was used to calculate odds ratios (ORs) and P-values for measures of asthma exacerbations.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The minor -131G allele confers protection against asthma-related hospital admissions (OR = 0.62; 95% CI 0.41-0.92; P = .018) in children and young adults with asthma.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our study shows that rs4950928 is significantly associated with hospital admissions in children and young adults; screening for rs4950928 may predict asthma-related hospital admissions, and through individually defined treatment management plans, potentially reduce health care costs.
authors.affiliation: Royal Alexandra Children's Hospital, Brighton and Sussex Medical School, Brighton, UK. j.o.cunningham@bsms.ac.uk
authors.forename: Jason
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Cunningham
authors.forename: Kaninika
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Basu
authors.forename: Roger
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Tavendale
authors.forename: Colin N A
authors.initials: CN
authors.lastname: Palmer
authors.forename: Helen
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: Somnath
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mukhopadhyay
mesh_terms: D000041:Absenteeism; D054392:Adipokines; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D018927:Anti-Asthmatic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001249:Asthma / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000235:genetics*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D000071451:Chitinase-3-Like Protein 1; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D018628:Gene Dosage / Q000235:genetics; D006023:Glycoproteins / Q000235:genetics*; D006579:Heterozygote; D006720:Homozygote; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D037102:Lectins / Q000235:genetics*; D008297:Male; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide / Q000235:genetics*; D012606:Scotland; D013334:Students / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D054392:Adipokines; D018927:Anti-Asthmatic Agents; C084533:CHI3L1 protein, human; D000071451:Chitinase-3-Like Protein 1; D006023:Glycoproteins; D037102:Lectins