title: The impact ofACEgene polymorphism on the incidence and phenotype of sarcoidosis in rural and urban settings.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Sarcoidosis is a multisystem granulomatous disease of unknown etiology. Current theory on the etiology of this disease involves participation of genetic factors and unknown antigens present in the patients' environment. The aim of the study was to evaluate the prevalence of different polymorphic forms of theACEgene in healthy individuals and sarcoidosis patients, and to estimate the risk of sarcoidosis in carriers of differentACEgenotypes living in rural and urban settings.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study group included 180 patients with pulmonary sarcoidosis. Assessment of the disease was based on clinical features, laboratory and imaging examinations, as well as bronchoscopy with bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL).ACEgene polymorphism was examined in DNA isolated from peripheral blood or BAL fluid (BALF) leukocytes.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Incidence of sarcoidosis was not influenced by gender, age or place of residence of the patients. There were no differences in the frequency of particular genotypes in patients with sarcoidosis and in healthy individuals. The risk of disease did not depend on theACEgene polymorphism. There were no differences in the frequencies of the different genotypes and alleles of theACEgene in patients with sarcoidosis divided by gender, age and place of residence or by clinical manifestation of sarcoidosis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results do not support the previous concept which suggested a higher incidence of sarcoidosis in individuals living in rural areas and in carriers of selectedACEgenotypes. It is possible that this is related to the changing environment of rural areas, increasing urbanization and pollution.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pneumonology, Oncology and Allergology, Medical University of Lublin, Lublin, Poland.
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kieszko
authors.affiliation: Department of Pneumonology, Oncology and Allergology, Medical University of Lublin, Lublin, Poland.
authors.forename: Paweł
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Krawczyk
authors.affiliation: Department of Pneumonology, Oncology and Allergology, Medical University of Lublin, Lublin, Poland.
authors.forename: Tomasz
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Powrózek
authors.affiliation: Chair and Department of Haematooncology and Bone Marrow Transplantation, Medical University of Lublin, Lublin, Poland.
authors.forename: Aneta
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Szudy-Szczyrek
authors.affiliation: Department of Pneumonology, Oncology and Allergology, Medical University of Lublin, Lublin, Poland; Chair of Internal Medicine and Department of Internal Medicine in Nursing, Medical University of Lublin, Lublin, Poland.
authors.forename: Michał
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Szczyrek
authors.affiliation: Department of Pneumonology, Oncology and Allergology, Medical University of Lublin, Lublin, Poland.
authors.forename: Iwona
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Homa
authors.affiliation: Chair of Internal Medicine and Department of Internal Medicine in Nursing, Medical University of Lublin, Lublin, Poland; Department of Health, Pope John Paul II State School of Higher Education, Biala Podlaska, Poland.
authors.forename: Jadwiga
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Daniluk
authors.affiliation: Department of Pneumonology, Oncology and Allergology, Medical University of Lublin, Lublin, Poland.
authors.forename: Janusz
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Milanowski
keywords: ACE gene; T lymphocytes; environment; polymorphism; sarcoidosis