Researchers at the University of Oulu have identified genes that increase susceptibility to pneumonia. Alongside inherited risk factors, smoking and higher body mass were also found to raise the risk of developing the disease. The study, published in eBioMedicine, identified a total of 12 genetic regions associated with pneumonia risk, eight of which were identified for the first time. Many of these regions are linked to the regulation of the body’s inflammatory response. However, among patients with recurrent pneumonia and among older patients, genes associated with nicotine dependence played a particularly prominent role.
This article was originally published on MedicalXpress.com
