title: Cyclooxygenase-2 genotype and rheumatoid arthritis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the association between cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) genotypes and risk and severity of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in a Korean population.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 258 Korean patients with RA and 400 control subjects were recruited from Hanyang University Hospital. Subjects were genotyped for the -765G/C polymorphism of the COX-2 gene by RFLP-PCR analysis. Odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated to estimate risk. Severity of RA was assessed by anatomical stage according to Steinbrocker, et al.
  
  
  RESULTS
  No association was observed between COX-2 genotype and risk or severity of RA. However, among those without the shared epitope (SE), carriers of the low activity C allele had a lower risk of RA and less severe form of RA than subjects with the G/G genotype. The OR (95% CI) was 0.36 (0.14-0.95) for risk of RA and 0.04 (0.01-0.41) for severity.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results suggest that COX-2 genotyping might be useful in predicting the risk and severity of RA in individuals without the SE.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Division of Rheumatology, and the Hospital for Rheumatic Diseases, Hanyang University, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Kyu Hoon
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Hee-Sang
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Ahmed
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: El-Sohemy
authors.forename: Marilyn C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Cornelis
authors.forename: Wan-Sik
authors.initials: WS
authors.lastname: Uhm
authors.forename: Sang-Cheol
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Bae
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000208:ethnology / Q000235:genetics* / Q000503:physiopathology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2 / Q000235:genetics*; D000939:Epitopes / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D007723:Korea / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016017:Odds Ratio; D012150:Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide / Q000235:genetics; D012307:Risk Factors; D012720:Severity of Illness Index
chemical_list: D000939:Epitopes; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2