Rheumatology Advance Access originally published online on March 31, 2003
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Rheumatology 2003; 42: 969-971
© 2003 British Society for Rheumatology
Association of polymorphisms of the tumour necrosis factor receptors I and II and rheumatoid arthritis
Department of Rheumatology, Leiden University Medical Center, 2300 RC, Leiden,
1 TNO Prevention and Health, Vascular and Connective Tissue Research Division, Zernikedreef 9, 2301 CE Leiden and
2 VU University Medical Center, Department of Molecular Cell Biology, Van der Boechorststraat 7, 1081 BT Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Objective. To assess the role of polymorphisms of the tumour necrosis factor (TNF) receptors, TNF-RI (p55) and TNF-RII (p75) in the susceptibility to and severity of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in Dutch patients.
Methods. A total of 319 consecutive RA patients, and a cohort of 90 female RA patients with detailed 12-yr follow-up were genotyped for the TNF-RI exon 1 (+36 A to G) and TNF-RII 3' UTR (+1690 T to C) polymorphisms.
Results. The frequencies of the TNF-RI and TNF-RII polymorphisms were determined in both patient groups and healthy controls, but no significant differences were found. To determine the relationship of these polymorphisms to disease severity, the extent of joint damage in the cohort of 90 female RA patients was analysed. No differences in severity were observed.
Conclusion. These TNF-RI and TNF-RII polymorphisms were not found to be associated with susceptibility to or severity of RA in the Dutch population.
KEY WORDS: TNF receptor, Rheumatoid arthritis, Polymorphism, Association study.
Correspondence to: C. L. Verweij, Free University Medical Center (VUMC), Department of Molecular Cell Biology, Room no. J283, Van der Boechorststraat 7, 1081 BT Amsterdam, The Netherlands. E-mail: c.verweij.cell{at}med.vu.nl