Inflammation and genetics may play a role in the pathogenesis of rheumatic heart disease (RHD). The aim of this study was to test whether interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1Ra), IL-4, or IL-10 gene polymorphisms could be used as markers of susceptibility to or severity of RHD among the Chinese population in Taiwan.
A group of 115 patients with RHD diagnosed by echocardiography, and 163 age- and sex-matched normal control subjects were studied. IL-1β promoter, IL-1β exon 5, IL-1Ra, IL-4 promoter, IL-4 intron 3, and IL-10 gene polymorphisms were identified by polymerase chain reaction-based restriction analysis.
There was no significant difference in the distribution of genotypes and allelic frequencies between RHD cases and controls for IL-1β promoter, IL-1β exon 5, IL-1Ra, IL-4 promoter, IL-4 intron 3, and IL-10 gene polymorphisms. Further categorization of the RHD patients into mitral valve disease and combined valve disease subgroups also revealed no statistical difference in these gene polymorphisms when compared with controls.
These findings suggest that the IL-1β, IL-1Ra, IL-4, or IL-10 gene polymorphisms are not suitable genetic markers for RHD in Taiwan Chinese.