Genetic Susceptibility to Nosocomial Pneumonia, Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome and Poor Outcome in Patients at Risk of Critical Illness

Genetic susceptibility may partially explain the clinical variability observed during the course of similar infections. To establish the contribution of genetic host factors in the susceptibility to critical illness, we genotyped 750 subjects (419 at high risk of critical illness) for 14 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the xenobiotics detoxification/oxidative stress and vascular homeostasis metabolic pathways. In the group of nosocomial pneumonia (NP; 268 patients) the risk of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is significantly higher for the carriers of CYP1A1 rs2606345 T/T genotypes and AhR rs2066853 G/A-A/A genotypes. AGTR1 rs5186 allele C is more common among NP non-survivors. The duration of stay in intensive care units (ICU) is higher for NP patients with ABCB1 rs1045642-T allele. The cumulative effect of the risk alleles in the genes comprising two sets of genes partners (xenobiotics detoxification: CYP1A1, AhR and RAS family: ACE, AGT, AGTR1) is associated with the development of both NP and ARDS.