Genetic Predisposition for Adverse Outcomes in Trauma Patients

• Applicant: Professor Dr. Frank Stüber
• Subject Area: Orthopaedics, Traumatology, Reconstructive Surgery
• Term: from 2003 to 2010
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 5408975

The goal of this project is to investigate and determine whether specific genotypes and genetic markers are associated with the incidence and severity of adverse clinical outcomes, i.e. nosocomial infections, bleeding, thrombosis, severe inflammation, multiple organ dysfunction and death, in patients with severe trauma. This project, therefore, is a central project within the trauma research network led by Prof. Schade linking 12 other centres and projects. This study will use state of the art genotyping technology (MALDI-TOF) as well as an advanced study design employing the concept of "genomic controls" (100 non-candidate SNPs, single nucleotid polymorphisms) designed to avoid false positive testing because of patient stratification caused by genetic cohort substructure. A large panel of well defined 150 candidate markers in 50 genes will be genotyped in some 500 trauma patients well documented in the trauma database. In addition, cooperations within the trauma research network will evaluate a genomic microchip array specifically designed for trauma patients and stratify studies on gene expression according to genotype. This study will be the first large- scale project to test the hypothesis of genetic predisposition for adverse outcomes in a large cohort of trauma patients employing multiple candidate markers in order to define a new diagnostic tool for risk assessment.

• DFG Programme: Priority Programmes
• Subproject of: SPP 1151: Immune and Metabolic Modulation Induced by Severe Tissue Trauma