Val34Leu factor XIII polymorphism in Italian patients with inflammatory bowel disease

Background. Coagulation Factor XIII is implicated in fibrin stabilization and wound healing. Plasma levels of Factor XIII are reduced in inflammatory bowel disease patients; recently, a valine 34 to leucine polymorphism of the Factor XIII-A subunit gene with a defined protective effect against thrombosis and as yet undetermined effect on wound healing has been described. Aim. To evaluate Val34Leu Factor XIII polymorphism distribution and to find possible correlations with clinical features in Italian inflammatory bowel disease patients. Study population. A total of 152 inflammatory bowel disease patients, 90 with ulcerative colitis and 62 with Crohn's disease and 130 healthy volunteers were studied. Methods. Val34Leu polymorphism was detected by RFLP with BsaH I. Statistical analysis was performed by means of Fisher exact test. Results. In inflammatory bowel disease, 57.2% of patients showed the wild type status, 37.5% were heterozygous and 5.3% were homozygous for the 34Leu allele; the frequency of the mutated allele was 24.0%. In controls, 66.1% of subjects showed the wild type status, 28.5% were heterozygous and 5.4% were homozygous for the 34Leu allele; the frequency of the mutated allele was 19.7%. There was no difference in genotype distribution and prevalence of the mutated allele between inflammatory bowel disease patients and controls. Conclusions. The present data do not show any differences in Val34Leu Factor XIII polymorphism distribution between inflammatory bowel disease patients and controls. The prothrombotic state described in inflammatory bowel disease patients does not depend on an altered distribution of Val34Leu Factor XIII polymorphism.