Published online May 28, 2010. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v16.i20.2549
Revised: March 12, 2010
Accepted: March 19, 2010
Published online: May 28, 2010
AIM: To prospectively investigate the association between the XbaI polymorphisms of apolipoprotein B (APOB) gene and gallstone formation following gastrectomy.
METHODS: The study was conducted between January 2005 and December 2006. A total of 186 gastric cancer patients who had undergone radical gastrectomy were grouped according to XbaI polymorphisms of APOB gene (X+X- group, n = 24 and X-X- group, n = 162) and compared. The XbaI polymorphisms of APOB gene were detected by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP).
RESULTS: The incidence of gallstone was significantly higher in the X+X- group than in the X-X- group [54.2% vs 9.3%, RR = 5.85 (2.23-15.32), P < 0.001]. The serum levels of total cholesterol (TC) and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) were higher in the X+X- than in the X-X- group (4.02 ± 1.12 vs 3.48 ± 0.88, P = 0.004 before surgery and 3.88 ± 1.09 vs 3.40 ± 0.86, P = 0.008 after surgery). LDL was 2.21 ± 0.96 vs 1.89 ± 0.84 (P = 0.042) before surgery and 2.09 ± 0.95 vs 1.72 ± 0.85 (P = 0.029) after surgery in the two groups. No relationship was found between XbaI polymorphisms and gallbladder motility.
CONCLUSION: In Chinese patients after radical gastrectomy, X+ allele of APOB gene is another risk factor for the development of gallstone besides the gallbladder motility disorder after surgery.