Is INOS gene Rs2297518 polymorphism a risk factor for acute pancreatitis patients

Object: Although acute pancreatitis has a usually relatively mild clinical course, 15-20 % of patients have a severe course. In etiology, the causes of acute pancreatitis are predominantly cholelithiasis and alcohol. The pathogenesis of acute pancreatitis is unclear. Nitric oxide the product of the Inducible Nitric Oxide Synthetase expression, has a major role in inflammatory events. Inducible Nitric Oxide Synthetase gene polymorphisms have been associated with different disease in different races. The purpose of this study was to determine correlation between Inducible Nitric Oxide Synthetase gene rs2297518 polymorphism and acute pancreatitis and whether a risk factor for acute pancreatitis. Method: Inducible Nitric Oxide Synthetase gene polymorphism was investigated in a case–control study of 99 patients with acute pancreatitis and 99 healthy persons by using a real-time polymerase chain reaction in the Çukurova University, Faculty of Medicine. Results: The patients carrying A allele or AA genotype had a higher risk of acute pancreatitis when compared with those carrying G allele or GG genotype, but was not statistically significant (respectively, P=0.06, OR=1.57 95% (0.98-2.50) and P=0.08, OR=2.96 95% (0.88-9.98)). Moreover, male patients carrying A allele had a significant risk of acute pancreatitis (OR =2.41; 95% 1.07-5.41, P=0.03). Additionally, the patients carrying AA genotype had a lower PDW value than the patients carrying other genotypes (P=0.03). Conclusion: The results of this study showed that Inducible Nitric Oxide Synthetase gene polymorphism A allele and AA genotype increase the risk of acute pancreatitis. Further independent studies are necessary to clarify the association between Inducible Nitric Oxide Synthetase gene rs2297518 polymorphism and acute pancreatitis.