Genetic and environmental influences on the risk of acute appendicitis in twins
- 21 October 2009
- journal article
- research article
- Published by Oxford University Press (OUP) in British Journal of Surgery
- Vol. 96 (11), 1336-1340
- https://doi.org/10.1002/bjs.6736
Abstract
Background Acute appendicitis is common but the aetiology is unclear. This study examined the heritability of acute appendicitis. Methods The study included twin pairs with known zygosity born between 1959 and 1985. Individuals with acute appendicitis were found by record linkage with the Swedish Inpatient Register. Comparing monodizygotic and dizygotic twins, the similarity and relative proportions of phenotypic variance resulting from genetic and environmental factors were analysed. Risks of acute appendicitis explained by heritability and environmental effects were estimated. Results Some 3441 monozygotic and 2429 dizygotic twins were identified. Almost no genetic effects were found in males (8 (95 per cent confidence interval 0 to 50) per cent), but shared (31 (0 to 49) per cent) and non-shared (61 (47 to 74) per cent) environmental factors accounted for this risk. In females, the heritability was estimated as 20 (0 to 36) per cent and the remaining variation was due to non-shared environmental factors (80 (64 to 98) per cent). For the sexes combined, genetic effects accounted for 30 (5 to 40) per cent and non-shared environmental effects for 70 (60 to 81) per cent of the risk. Conclusion Acute appendicitis has a complex aetiology with sex differences in heritability and environmental factors.Keywords
This publication has 16 references indexed in Scilit:
- Investigation of the relationship between smoking and appendicitis in Australian twinsAnnals of Epidemiology, 2008
- Impact of body mass index and tobacco smoking on outcome after open appendicectomyBritish Journal of Surgery, 2008
- The Swedish Twin Registry in the Third Millennium: An UpdateTwin Research and Human Genetics, 2006
- The Role of X Inactivation and Cellular Mosaicism in Women's Health and Sex-Specific DiseasesPublished by American Medical Association (AMA) ,2006
- Biometrical geneticsBiological Psychology, 2002
- Acute appendicitis in children: The importance of family historyJournal of Pediatric Surgery, 2001
- Indications for operation in suspected appendicitis and incidence of perforationBMJ, 1994
- THE EPIDEMIOLOGY OF APPENDICITIS AND APPENDECTOMY IN THE UNITED STATESAmerican Journal of Epidemiology, 1990
- Familial Retrocaecal AppendicitisJournal of the Royal Society of Medicine, 1986
- Is appendicitis familial?BMJ, 1979