Mutations in the SP-B gene have been shown to cause severe lung disease, and polymorphisms in the SP-B gene may be associated with the development of RDS in premature infants.
Because the surfactant protein B (SP-B) is important for optimal surfactant function and because it is involved in the pathogenesis of pulmonary disease, we investigated the genetic variability of the SP-B gene in individuals with and without RDS.