title: Evidence for a hypothetical non-HLA susceptibility gene in rheumatoid arthritis.
abstract: In this study investigating possible reasons for the increased female prevalence of RA, family histories were obtained from 719 patients with classical RA by direct interview. Thirty-one per cent positively identified at least one affected relative. Compared with the expected population sex distribution ratio of 3:1 and local prevalence data, mothers with RA were eight times more common than predicted and fathers with RA 15 times more frequent. Mean age of onset of clinical disease was 7 yr younger in probands with affected fathers, compared to those with no or only maternal family history (P < 0.001). On the basis of other diseases where there is a gender discrepancy in prevalence, the characteristics of a major susceptibility gene product is proposed to connect these inheritance patterns with the known female preponderance for developing RA. Although there are clearly methodological uncertainties in a study of this type, it is felt that by concentrating on parental data only that these have been kept to a minimum, and that the conclusion is not unexpected.
authors.affiliation: Department of Rheumatology, University Hospital of Wales, Heath Park, Cardiff.
authors.forename: M H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Pritchard
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D005802:Genes, MHC Class II / Q000276:immunology; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D006684:HLA-DR Antigens / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012737:Sex Factors
chemical_list: D006684:HLA-DR Antigens