Fu. Schade et al., Relation of the bi-allelic NcoI restriction fragment length polymorphism within the tumour necrosis factor B gene to the development of mediastinitis, EURO J SURG, 163, 1999, pp. 73-78
During recent years the dual role of endogenous inflammatory mediators such
as tumour necrosis factor (TNF) has become evident. While TNF has been rec
ognised to possess a great detrimental potential, for example in the case o
f sepsis, it is on the other hand an integral component of an adequate immu
ne response to bacterial invasion. These different properties of TNF and ot
hers seem to be dependent mainly on the quantitative extent of their format
ion. Some recent findings indicate that this extent may in part be determin
ed genetically. The classification of patients according to polymorphic cyt
okine genes might, therefore, predict some of their reactions to septic cha
llenges.