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Background: Inflammation is an important component in the pathogenesis of many cardiovascular diseases and one of the commonest mechanisms in cardiomyopathy. There have been several studies on the cytokine polymorphism and dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM), but the results obtained were contradictory., Aim: To examine a possible role of 22 cytokine gene polymorphisms in host susceptibility to or protection against DCM in Macedonians., Methods: In this study 301 healthy unrelated individuals and 52 patients with DCM were studied. Cytokine genotyping was performed by PCR with sequence-specific priming (PCR-SSP) (Heidelberg kit)., Results: After the Bonferroni adjustment, the IL-4 -1098/T, IL-4 -1098/T:T, IL-4/TCC, and IL-4/TCC:TTC cytokine genes were positively associated with DCM, while a negative association was identified for IL-4 -1098/G, IL-4 -1098/G:T, IL-1B +3962/C:C, IL-4/GCC, and IL-4/GCC:TTC., Conclusions: These results suggest that some cytokine gene polymorphisms are significantly associated and affect host susceptibility/resistance to DCM in Macedonians.

Background: Raised SERPINE1 plasma levels are related to a 1-bp guanine deletion/insertion (4G5G) polymorphism in the promoter of the SERPINE1 (plasminogen activator inhibitor 1 - PAI1) gene. Evidence suggested that the plasma levels of SERPINE1 modulate the risk of coronary artery disease; furthermore, that the 4G5G polymorphism affects the expression of the SERPINE1 gene., Aim: To analyse association of SERPINE1 polymorphism with occlusive artery disease (OAD) and deep venous thrombosis (DVT) in Macedonians in order to investigate its role as a part of candidate genes in different vascular diseases in Macedonians., Methods: Investigated groups consisted of 82 healthy patients, 75 with OAD, and 66 with DVT. Blood samples were collected after written informed consent was obtained, and DNA was isolated from peripheral blood leukocytes. Identification of SERPINE1 polymorphism was done with CVD StripAssay (ViennaLab, Labordiagnostica GmbH, Austria). The population genetics analysis package, PyPop, was used for analysis of the SERPINE1 data. Pearson's P-values, crude odds ratio and Wald's 95% CI were calculated with Bonferroni corrected p value., Results: The frequency of 4G allele for SERPINE1 was 0.538 for DVT, 0.555 for healthy participants, and 0.607 for OAD. The frequency of 5G allele for SERPINE1 was the smallest in patients with OAD (0.393) and was higher in healthy participants (0.445), and patients with DVT (0.462). Test of neutrality (Fnd) showed negative value, but was significantly different from 0 for SERPINE1 in healthy participants (p of F = 0.041) and in patients with DVT (p of F = 0.030). SERPINE1 genotypes in healthy participants and patients with OAD were not in Hardy Weinberg proportions (p = 0.019 and 0.001, respectively). No association between SERPINE1 polymorphisms and OAD or DVT was found., Conclusion: There is no significant relationship between SERPINE1 polymorphisms and occlusive artery disease or deep venous thrombosis in Macedonian population.