REVIEWS   

Minerva Ortopedica e Traumatologica 2005 April;56(2):105-13

Copyright © 2005 EDIZIONI MINERVA MEDICA

language: Italian

Genetic predisposition to post-traumatic complications: a review of the literature

Aprato A. ¹, Oprandi G. ¹, Minetto M. ², Angeli A. ², Ferro L. ¹, Massè A. ¹

¹ Clinica Ortopedica e Traumatologica I Università degli Studi di Torino, Torino 2 Divisione di Medicina Interna 6 Università degli Studi di Torino, Torino

In patients with multiple traumatic injuries, the onset of complications such as like multiple organ dysfuction syndrome (MODS) strongly affects the prognosis and represents the leading cause of death. MODS is a possible but not mandatory complication of systemic inflammatiory response syndrome (SIRS). The cytokines system is meant to be of primary importance in SIRS and MODS development; in particoular TNF-a, interleukin-6 and interleukin-10 seem to play an essential role. Genes encoding for these cytokines are variously polymorphic, so that interindividual genetic variability could be a reason why MODS occursdevelopes only in some patients, but not in others, despite of the presence of similar risk factors. Most studies demonstratded an association between genotype and plasmatic concentrations of the cytokine examined, even if they are carried outconducted on heterogeneous populations and analyse one single polymorphisms. The progress of knowledge on population’s genetic variability will in future affect the approach toof severely injured trauma patients; therefore, more studies on wider populations are needed with the aim of selecting people at higher risk of developing post-traumatic complications.