ABSTRACT
PURPOSE: Plasminogen activator inhibitor 1 (PAI-1) is a critical enzyme that regulates coagulation and fibrinolytic systems. The aim of this study was to determine the role of PAI-1 4G/5G polymorphism in nontraumatic avascular necrosis of the lunate. METHODS: The study included 45 patients with Kienböck disease and 45 healthy individuals as a control group. In both groups, genomic DNA was extracted from peripheral blood samples to determine the distributions of PAI-1 4G/5G polymorphism using allele-specific polymerase chain reaction and sequencing. RESULTS: No statistically significant difference was determined in the distribution of the gene polymorphism between the patient and control groups. We found the 5G/5G genotype to be 1.7 times higher in the control group compared with the patient group. A 1.6-fold increase in the 4G homozygote genotype was identified in the patient group. The patient and control groups were also evaluated for 4G/4G plus 4G/5G and 5G/5G in terms of genotype distribution. No statistically significant difference was found. CONCLUSIONS: The findings suggest that the PAI-1 4G/4G polymorphism is not a genetic risk for Kienböck disease. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: This study aimed to reveal the genetic etiology of Kienböck disease.