title: Association of estrogen receptor gene polymorphism in patients with degenerative lumbar spondylolisthesise.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to investigate the possible association of estrogen receptor alpha (ERα) gene polymorphisms in a cohort of degenerative spondylolisthesis (DS) patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  Accordingly, the authors examined the association between DS and ERα gene polymorphisms in 174 patients diagnosed with DS. The Pvu II and Xba I polymorphisms, bone mineral density at the lumbar spine and femoral neck, and biochemical markers were analyzed and compared in the 174 patients with DS and 214 patients with spinal stenosis (SS).
  
  
  RESULTS
  A comparison of genotype frequencies in DS and SS patients revealed a significant difference for the Pvu II polymorphism only (p=0.0452). No significant difference was found between these two groups with respect to the Xba I polymorphism, BMD or biochemical markers. No significant association was found between the Pvu II polymorphism of ERα and BMD, vertebral slip or biochemical markers in patients with DS.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results suggest that the ERα gene polymorphism using Pvu II restriction enzyme influences the prevalence of DS.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Medical Research Institute, Pusan National University School of Medicine, Busan, Korea.
authors.forename: Jung Sub
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Kuen Tak
authors.initials: KT
authors.lastname: Suh
authors.forename: Jeung Il
authors.initials: JI
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Jong Min
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Lim
authors.forename: Tae Sik
authors.initials: TS
authors.lastname: Goh