The IL-1RN*2 allele frequency in the patients with alcoholic hepatitis and the patients with cirrhosis was also significantly higher than in those alcoholics without liver diseases (13.93%, 17.74% vs 4.65%; chi2=4.79, chi2=6.78; P<0.050, P<0.010).
Although the IL1beta( - 511)*A2A2 genotype may increase the susceptibility to acquire chronic hepatitis C and IL1RA(intron2 VNTR)*A2 polymorphism is associated with disease progression to cirrhosis, our results indicate that the analyzed cytokine gene polymorphisms have an overall low impact on the natural course of chronic hepatitis C infection.