Rheumatic heart disease (RHD) is an inflammatory disease that develops following streptococcal infections. IL10 helps to balance immune responses to pathogens. IL10 polymorphisms have been associated with RHD, although results remain inconclusive. Our aim was to investigate the association between IL10 polymorphisms and RHD in Saudi Arabian patients. IL10 promoter polymorphisms (-1082A/G, -829C/T, and -592C/A) were genotyped in 118 RHD patients and 200 matched controls using the TaqMan allelic discrimination assay. There was a significant difference in IL10-1082 genotype frequency between patients and controls (p = 0.01). -1082G allele carriage (GG+GA vs AA) and the (-1082, -819, -592) GCC haplotype carriage were associated with an increased risk of RHD (p = 0.004, OR 2.1, 95% CIs 1.7-3.4 and p = 0.004, OR 2, 95% CIs 1.3-3.4, respectively). The ACC haplotype was associated with a decrease in RHD risk (p = 0.015, OR 0.6, 95% CIs 0.4-0.9). IL10 promoter polymorphisms may play an important role in the development of RHD and provide an opportunity for therapeutic stratification.
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