Hong Kong Respiratory Medicine

NEJM, Volume 362:1241-1242 April 1, 2010 Number 13. Related Article by Hunninghake, G. M.
To the Editor: Hunninghake et al. (Dec. 31 issue)1 report an association between single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in MMP12 and lung function in children with asthma and in adults who smoke, as well as an association with a reduced risk of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in adult smokers.

However, a statistical genetic association may be observed when the implicated SNP is in strong linkage disequilibrium with another ungenotyped, but "causative," SNP, often one that is in close proximity to the implicated SNP. To determine whether their findings could be explained by linkage disequilibrium, the authors present data for neighboring genes . . .

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