88-P

Abstract

Aim It is known that NO has a relevant role in inflammation, vascular and muscular tonus in asthma. Endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) modulates the amount of NO that could be related with eNOS polymorphisms. The purpose of this study is to analyze the association between endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) gene polymorphism eNOS intron 4 Ins/del (eNOS 4 a/b-27 bp-base pairs) with asthma severity. Methods Asthmatic patients: n = 31; were compared with a control group of n = 174 healthy blood donors. The Ins/del polymorphism (eNos 4 a/b) was determined by PCRPolymerase chain reaction. Control of asthma assessed by validated instrument (ACQ7 and PAQLQ). Statistical analysis was performed with PASW version 18 and Primer of biostatistics, establishing a significance level of p Results The mean age of the 31 asthmatics was 40 ± 19.5 years; minimum 12 and maximum 86: 15 females and 16 males; all caucasians; 28 atopics and 3 nonatopics; 20 with controlled and 11 with uncontrolled asthma. In asthmatics the frequencies of the Ins/del polymorphism (eNos 4 b) is 87% and of the Ins/del polymorphism (eNos 4 a) is 13%; in controls: 80% and 20% respectively. There is no statistical difference between these groups (p > 0.05).Genotypes in the asthmatics-bb: 77.4%; aa: 3.2%; ab: 19.4%; in control group-bb: 67.82%; aa: 8.6%; ab: 23.56%. There is no statistical difference between these groups(p > 0.05).In asthmatics, there is no statistical difference (p > 0.05): atopics and non atopics; controlled and uncontrolled asthma; males and females; and in the different age-groups. Conclusions The role of eNOS gene intron 4 a/b Ins/del polymorphism in asthmatics is a controversial risk factor to the severity of asthma, but we think that we need a larger sample to infer about its role in inflammation and in vascular and muscular tonus homeostasis in asthmatic disease.