Serotonin transporter promoter variant: Analysis in Indian IBS patients and control population.

BACKGROUND

Studies of serotonin reuptake transporter (SERT-P) polymorphism and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) have shown diverse results among different populations, which might be due to racial and ethnic difference.

AIM: This study was to investigate the potential association between the SERT-P polymorphism and clinical subtypes of IBS patients in the Indian population.

METHOD: This prospective case-control study included 151 IBS patients. Ninety-two patients were diarrhea-predominant IBS, 44 were constipation-predominant IBS (C-IBS), 15 were alternating diarrhea and constipation IBS, and 100 were healthy controls. SERT gene polymorphism was studied by polymerase chain reaction.

RESULT: A genotypic association was observed between SS genotype of SERT-P polymorphism and C-IBS (P<0.05). When the L/S and L/L genotypes were combined into one group, the frequency of the S/S genotype was significantly higher than that of the non-S/S genotype between C-IBS and the control group (P<0.05). There was no significant difference in the SERT-P genotype and allele frequency between c-ibs, alternating diarrhea and constipation IBS, all types of IBS cases, and controls.

CONCLUSIONS

A significant association was observed between the SS genotype of SERT-P polymorphism and C-IBS in the Indian population.