Application of cross-impact analysis to the relationship between aldehyde dehydrogenase 2 allele and the flushing syndrome.

The experimental approach has been used to study successfully the relationship between the polymorphism of aldehyde dehydrogenase 2 and the flushing syndrome. In the present study, a probabilistic approach was used to analyse this relationship. Using cross-impact analysis and experimental data, the probability of the occurrence of flushing, the extent by which ALDH2*2/*2 enhances flushing more than ALDH2*1/*2, the extent by which ALDH2*1/*1 enhances non-flushing more than ALDH2*1/*2, etc. can be calculated. Two examples are given to show the potential use of cross-impact analysis.