title: Polymorphisms in the catechol-o-methyltransferase gene and delirium in the elderly.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Catechol-O-methyltransferase, encoded by the COMT gene, is one of the enzymes that degrade dopamine. The aim of this study was to investigate whether polymorphisms in the COMT gene were associated with delirium.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients aged 65 years and older, acutely admitted to the medical department or to the surgical department following hip fracture, were included. rs4680, rs4818, and rs6269 were genotyped.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Delirious patients were older, and more frequently had preexisting functional or cognitive impairment (p < 0.001). Polymorphisms in the COMT gene were not associated with the development of delirium.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although the COMT gene is a promising candidate gene for delirium in the elderly, functional genetic variations were not associated with delirium.
authors: Department of Internal Medicine, Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors: Barbara C
authors: BC
authors: van Munster
authors: Frank
authors: F
authors: Baas
authors: Michael W
authors: MW
authors: Tanck
authors: Sophia E J A
authors: SE
authors: de Rooij