title: COMT-Val158Met-polymorphism is not a risk factor for acute kidney injury after cardiac surgery.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Cardiac surgery-associated acute kidney injury (CSA-AKI) depicts a major complication after cardiac surgery using cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB).
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  CSA-AKI has clearly been linked to increased perioperative morbidity and mortality. Dysregulations of vasomotor tone are assumed to be causal for CSA-AKI. While catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) is involved in metabolizing catecholamines, a single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in the COMT gene leads to different enzyme activities according to genotype. Pilot studies found associations between those COMT genotypes and CSA-AKI.
  
  
  METHODS
  We prospectively included 1741 patients undergoing elective cardiac surgery using cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB). Patients were genotyped for COMT-Val158Met-(G/A) polymorphism (rs4680).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Demographic characteristics and procedural data revealed no significant differences between genotypes. No association between COMT genotypes and the RIFLE criteria could be detected. A multiple linear regression analysis for postoperative creatinine increase revealed highly significant associations for aortic cross-clamp time (P < 0.001), CPB time (P < 0.001), norepinephrine (P < 0.001), and age (P < 0.001). No associations were found for COMT genotypes or baseline creatinine. With an R (2) = 0.39 and a sample size of 1741, the observed power of the regression analysis was >99%.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Based on our results, we can rule out an association between the COMT-Val158Met-(G/A) polymorphism and the appearance of CSA-AKI.
authors.affiliation: Klinik fuer Herz- und Gefaeßchirurgie, Deutsches Herzzentrum Muenchen, Technische Universitaet Muenchen, Munich Heart Alliance, Lazarettstrasse 36, 80636 Munich, Germany.
authors.forename: Matthias
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kornek
authors.forename: Marcus-André
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Deutsch
authors.forename: Stefan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Eichhorn
authors.forename: Harald
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Lahm
authors.forename: Stefan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Wagenpfeil
authors.forename: Markus
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Krane
authors.forename: Ruediger
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Lange
authors.forename: Johannes
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Boehm
mesh_terms: D058186:Acute Kidney Injury / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics*; D000368:Aged; D019943:Amino Acid Substitution; D002315:Cardiopulmonary Bypass; D002394:Catechol O-Methyltransferase / Q000235:genetics*; D003404:Creatinine / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D056726:Genetic Association Studies; D006331:Heart Diseases / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors
chemical_list: D003404:Creatinine; C588010:COMT protein, human; D002394:Catechol O-Methyltransferase