Chest
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Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study
The association between a Darc gene polymorphism and clinical outcomes in African American patients with acute lung injury.
Acute lung injury (ALI) mortality is increased among African Americans compared with Americans of European descent, and genetic factors may be involved. A functional T-46C polymorphism (rs2814778) in the promoter region of Duffy antigen/receptor for chemokines (Darc) gene, present almost exclusively in people of African descent, results in isolated erythrocyte DARC deficiency and has been implicated in ALI pathogenesis in preclinical and murine models, possibly because of an increase in circulating Duffy-binding, proinflammatory chemokines like IL-8. We sought to determine the effect of the functional rs2814778 polymorphism, C/C genotype (Duffy null state), on clinical outcomes in African Americans with acute lung injury. ⋯ Our results provide evidence that the functional rs2814778 polymorphism in the gene encoding DARC is associated with worse clinical outcomes among African Americans with ALI, possibly via an increase in circulating IL-8.