Investigation of the IL-1β +3954 C>T polymorphism and the risk of sepsis: A case-control study

Studies have obtained conflicting findings regarding the association between the interleukin-1β (IL-1β) +3954 C>T polymorphism and the risk of sepsis. To evaluate the association between the IL-1β +3954 C>T polymorphism and sepsis risk in Chinese individuals, we conducted a study of 254 sepsis patients and 322 controls. Polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) was used for genotyping. We found that the IL-1β +3954 C>T polymorphism was associated with a reduced risk of sepsis. Subgroup analyses revealed that this significant association was more evident among nonsmokers, nondrinkers, individuals with body mass index <25, and individuals aged ≥60 years. The IL-1β +3954 C>T polymorphism was also associated with the 28-day mortality rate and severity of sepsis. In summary, the IL-1β +3954 C>T polymorphism confers a reduced risk of sepsis in Han Chinese. This polymorphism may serve as a marker that predicts patients’ susceptibility to sepsis.