IL-8 gene locus is associated with risk, severity and 28-day mortality of sepsis in a Chinese population

Interleukin (IL)-8 has been reported to be associated with the progression of sepsis. Recent studies have explored the relationship between the IL-8 - 251 A/T polymorphism and sepsis risk. This study evaluated the association between the IL-8 - 251 A/T polymorphism and sepsis susceptibility in a Chinese Han population. We designed a case-control study with 254 sepsis cases and 322 controls. Genotyping was performed using the polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism method. SPSS 20.0 software was used for all statistical analysis (SPSS Inc., Chicago, USA). This study showed that the IL-8 - 251 A/T polymorphism was associated with a decreased risk of sepsis. Stratified analyses found that this association held true in females, non-smokers, and older individuals (age > 60 years). The IL-8 - 251 A/T polymorphism was also related to the severity and 28-day mortality of sepsis. The IL-8 - 251 A/T polymorphism is associated with a decreased risk of sepsis.