Interleukin-1 gene cluster polymorphisms associated with coronary slow flow phenomenon.

To the Editor,

We found the publication “Association of Interleukin-1 Gene cluster polymorphisms with coronary slow flow phenomenon (CSFP)” (1) very interesting. Mutluer et al. (1) concluded that “IL-1ß+3954 SNP mutations are significantly more common in patients with CSFP” and “It may suggest that the tendency for inflammation may contribute to the presence of this phenomenon.” In fact, based on the present study, a conclusion can be made only regarding genetic frequency. It is not possible to propose any pathophysiology regarding the inflammation process since no inflammatory parameter was assessed. In fact, if there is a direct pathological process as a result of the polymorphism, similar findings should be observed for both IL-1ß+3954 SNP and IL-1ß+3954 SNP. Finally, other SNPs of IL-1ß, which were not investigated by Mutluer et al. (1), such as IL-1ß -634SNP (2), can also have the same effect on CSFP.