title: Analysis of the interleukin-1 receptor antagonist gene variable number tandem repeats in ischemic stroke.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  There is an increasing interest in the role of inflammatory mechanisms contributing to the development of stroke. Recent studies have reported an association between allele 2 of a variable number tandem repeat of the interleukin-1 receptor antagonist (IL1RN) gene in Caucasian patients with ischemic stroke. The purpose of this investigation is to independently confirm these results in our study population.
  
  
  METHODS
  We recruited and genotyped 516 Caucasian patients with ischemic stroke and 380 matched controls. Tests of association were performed to estimate odds ratio (OR) for the IL1RN gene variable number tandem repeat polymorphism with case-control status. Genotype frequencies of IL1RN gene were compared by case-control and symptom status using χ2 contingency tables and logistic regression models.
  
  
  RESULTS
  No significant association was observed between any of the IL1RN gene genotypes and ischemic stroke. The unadjusted association model a, and the fully saturated model e, adjusted for age, gender, and stroke risk factors demonstrated no significant increase in risk associated with the IL1RN gene 2/2 genotype (a: OR, 1.11; 95% confidence interval [CI], .67-1.89; P=.615; and e: OR, .95; 95% CI, .46-1.94; P=.574). Analyses of genotypic and allelic frequencies of each Trial of Org 10172 in Acute Stroke Treatment subtype with control and pairwise comparison between stroke subtypes did not show any significant differences in their distributions, and all P values were greater than the significance level of .05.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results do not confirm an association between the gene and ischemic stroke in Caucasian patients.
authors.affiliation: The Neuro-genetics Institute, Sharon Hill, Pennsylvania.
authors.forename: Leema Reddy
authors.initials: LR
authors.lastname: Peddareddygari
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, University of South Carolina School of Medicine, Columbia, South Carolina.
authors.forename: Souvik
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sen
authors.affiliation: Superior Research Associates, Sharon Hill, Pennsylvania.
authors.forename: Ankit
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pahwa
authors.affiliation: Division of Genetics, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
authors.forename: Mark A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Levenstien
authors.affiliation: Neuroscience Institute at Saint Francis Medical Center, Seton Hall University, Trenton, New Jersey. Electronic address: pleemareddy@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Raji P
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Grewal
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000483:Alleles; D002545:Brain Ischemia / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D005787:Gene Frequency; D056726:Genetic Association Studies; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D053590:Interleukin 1 Receptor Antagonist Protein / Q000235:genetics*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018598:Minisatellite Repeats; D020521:Stroke / Q000235:genetics*; D044465:White People / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D053590:Interleukin 1 Receptor Antagonist Protein
keywords: Ischemic stroke; interleukin-1 receptor antagonist gene; variable number tandem repeat polymorphism