Background: In mice, the farnesoid X receptor is involved in bacterial translocation, which can result in spontaneous bacterial peritonitis in patients with cirrhosis. We investigated if polymorphisms in the farnesoid X receptor gene influence the risk for spontaneous bacterial peritonitis.
Methods: Laboratory and clinical data of 293 cirrhotic patients with ascites and 226 healthy controls were prospectively collected. The rs56163822, rs11110390 and rs12313471 polymorphisms of the farnesoid X receptor were determined.
Results: 115 (39%) patients had spontaneous bacterial peritonitis. Distribution of all farnesoid X receptor genotypes matched the Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. Patients with spontaneous bacterial peritonitis had a higher frequency of the rs56163822 GT genotype (7.0%) than patients without (1.7%, OR=4.4, p=0.02). This genotype was confirmed as predictor of spontaneous bacterial peritonitis by binary logistic regression analysis (OR=6.8, p=0.018).
Conclusion: The farnesoid X receptor rs56163822 GT genotype increases the risk for spontaneous bacterial peritonitis in cirrhotic patients with ascites.
Keywords: Ascites; Farnesoid X receptor; Liver cirrhosis; Spontaneous bacterial peritonitis.
Copyright © 2014 Editrice Gastroenterologica Italiana S.r.l. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.