INTRODUCTION: Cholecystokinin (CCK) belongs to a group of endogenous molecules known as brain-gut neuropeptides and functions as a neuropeptide as well as a gut hormone. It remains unclear whether genetic variation of the CCK receptor plays a role in irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). The aim of this study was to determine and compare the allele and genotype frequencies of the CCK1 receptor polymorphisms between healthy controls and patients with IBS. METHODS: Genotyping of 80 patients with IBS (who met the Rome III criteria) and 76 healthy controls was performed. We performed PCR amplification for the CCK1 receptor intron 1 779 T > C and Exon 1 G > A. We confirmed polymorphisms by direct sequencing method. RESULTS: There was a significantly different trend for genotypic distributions of the CCK1 receptor polymorphism between patients with IBS and healthy controls (p for trend = 0.048). The CCK1 receptor intron 1 779 T >C polymorphic type was more common in patients with 'IBS-constipation predominant (IBS-C) and IBS-mixed (IBS-M) forms' (19/31, 61.3%) than healthy controls 32/76, 42.1% adjusted odd ratio 2.43, 95% Confidence interval 1.01-5.86). The genotypic distributions of the CCK1 receptor exon 1 polymorphism were not significantly different between the two groups (p for trend = 0.223). CONCLUSIONS: CCK1 receptor polymorphisms were associated with IBS. In particular, the CCK1 receptor intron 1 779 T > C polymorphic type was associated with 'IBS-C and IBS-M'. Further studies are needed in larger number of patients with an even distribution of IBS subtypes.
Alleles ; Cholecystokinin ; Exons ; Genetic Variation ; Genotype ; Humans ; Introns ; Irritable Bowel Syndrome ; Neuropeptides ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Receptors, Cholecystokinin ; Rome

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Hepatitis A is an acute infectious disease transmitted by fecal-oral route. As the incidence of hepatitis A has been increased in Gwangju and Chonnam province of Korea recently, the number of hepatitis A patients in hospital employees has also increased. Thus, we investigated the seroprevalence of IgG anti-HAV in hospital employees below 40 years old. METHODS: We analysed the seroprevalence of anti-HAV IgG from 1,002 Chonnam national university hospital empolyees (men: 190, women: 812) who were below 40 years old. The age group was divided by 5 years; 21-25 years old 199 (19.9%), 26-30 years old 426 (42.5%), 31-35 years old 215 (21.5%), 36-40 years old 162 (16.1%). RESULTS: Overall seropositive rate of IgG anti-HAV was 32.8% (329/1,002). The seropositive rate of men was 40.5% (77/190) and that of women was 31.0% (252/812). The seropositive rates of each age group were 1.5% (3/199) in 21-25 years old, 21.6% (92/426) in 26-30 years old, 48.4% (104/215) in 31-35 years old, and 80.2% (130/162) in 36-40 years old. The seropositivity rate of the high risk group (doctors, nurses, technicians) was 28.9% (234/809). CONCLUSIONS: The seropositive rate of IgG anti-HAV was the lowest in early twenties of hospital employees and below 50% in early thirties. Therefore, hepatitis A vaccination may be warranted in the hospital empolyees below the early thirties.
Adult ; Female ; Hepatitis A/*epidemiology ; Hepatitis A Antibodies/*blood ; Hepatitis A Virus, Human/immunology ; Hospitals ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin G/*blood ; Male ; Occupational Diseases/*epidemiology ; *Personnel, Hospital ; Seroepidemiologic Studies ; Young Adult