RESEARCH - Prevalence and distribution of autoimmune diseases in 368 RA families

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J Rheumatol. 2008 Mar 15

Prevalence and Distribution of Autoimmune Diseases in 368 Rheumatoid

Arthritis Families.

Michou L, Rat AC, Lasbleiz S, Bardin T, Cornélis F.

From GenHotel-EA 3886, University Evry-Paris 7 Medical School, Member

of the AutoCure European Consortium, Evry-Genopole; EA 4003, Centre

d'Epidémiologie Clinique, CEC-Inserm CIE6, Service d'épidémiologie et

évaluation cliniques, CHU , ; and Unité de Génétique

Clinique, Hôpital Lariboisière, Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris,

Paris, France.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether frequency of rheumatoid arthritis

(RA) and/or other autoimmune (AI) disorders was increased in RA French

Caucasian families among the first- (FDR) and second-degree relatives

(SDR), and to test whether the presence of AI disease family history

identified a specific RA subset. We conducted telephone interviews to

obtain histories of AI diseases among the FDR and SDR of 368 RA

probands, belonging either to trio or affected sib-pair (ASP)

families. All the AI diagnoses were confirmed by the physician of the

affected relative. RESULTS: Probands of the ASP families were

characterized by older age at RA onset, longer disease duration, and

larger family size versus trio families. In the trio families, the

prevalence of AI diseases was 6.05% (4.76%-7.57%) in FDR and 2.40%

(1.85%-3.06%) in SDR. In ASP families, the prevalence of AI diseases

was, respectively, 10.24% (8.68%-11.97%) and 1.79% (1.41%-2.25%). The

most frequent AI diseases among relatives were RA, thyroid AI

diseases, and vitiligo. In trio families, a proband with a mean age of

RA onset < 30 years was associated with AI disease prevalence in the

relatives, and male gender was associated with prevalence of RA among

the FDR.

CONCLUSION: The prevalence of AI diseases is increased, particularly

among FDR, in French RA families, and some characteristics of the RA

proband seem to be associated with prevalence of AI diseases in

families.

PMID: 18381797

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18381797

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Not an MD