title: Interleukin-1 receptor antagonist gene polymorphism as a disease severity factor in systemic lupus erythematosus.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We have previously described associations between an allele of the interleukin-1 receptor antagonist gene (IL1RN) and several inflammatory diseases. In this study we tested the IL1RN gene as a possible marker in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).
  
  
  METHODS
  Eighty-one SLE patients and 261 ethnically matched control subjects were genotyped by polymerase chain reaction.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We found an increase in both frequency and carriage rate of IL1RN*2 in the SLE group. This association strengthened with extensive disease and particularly with the presence of photosensitivity and discoid skin lesions.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We describe a novel association between IL1RN*2 and SLE. Carriage of the allele seems to influence severity rather than susceptibility to SLE. We postulate that the association of this polymorphism with disease severity is a widespread feature of common inflammatory and autoimmune diseases.
authors.affiliation: Section of Molecular Medicine, University of Sheffield, Royal Hallamshire Hospital, UK.
authors.forename: A I
authors.initials: AI
authors.lastname: Blakemore
authors.forename: J K
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Tarlow
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Cork
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Gordon
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Emery
authors.forename: G W
authors.initials: GW
authors.lastname: Duff
mesh_terms: D001483:Base Sequence; D006801:Humans; D008179:Lupus Erythematosus, Discoid / Q000235:genetics; D008180:Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D015335:Molecular Probes / Q000235:genetics; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010787:Photosensitivity Disorders / Q000235:genetics; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D017472:Receptors, Interleukin-1 / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index
chemical_list: D015335:Molecular Probes; D017472:Receptors, Interleukin-1