[Progress due to genetic research on rheumatoid arthritis: hype or hope?].
Thanks to progress in genetic research, various genetic factors involved in the pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) have been discovered.There is a difference in genetic risk factors for RA in patients with or without antibodies against cyclic citrullinated peptides. This has led to the idea that RA is not a single disease, but a heterogeneous syndrome. Currently known genetic risk factors are not suitable for prediction of the risk of individual patients developing RA, nor for early diagnosis, nor for determining the therapeutic strategy.Research into functional defects of gene products of genetic risk variants will increase the understanding of the pathogenesis of RA. This could lead to insights for the development of new specific medication.In the future, research into genetic factors correlated with the severity of RA disease progression or with the effect of antirheumatic medication is expected to yield interesting and hopefully clinically relevant results.
Universitair Medisch Centrum Utrecht, afd. Reumatologie & Klinische Immunologie, Utrecht, The Netherlands. j.w.g.jacobs@umcutrecht.nl
J W G Hans
JW
Jacobs
Tom W J
TW
Huizinga
J W J Hans
JW
Bijlsma
Annette H M
AH
van der Helm-van Mil
D018501:Antirheumatic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D018450:Disease Progression; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D014644:Genetic Variation; D006680:HLA Antigens / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D010456:Peptides, Cyclic / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology; D011379:Prognosis; D012217:Rheumatoid Factor / Q000097:blood; D012307:Risk Factors; D012720:Severity of Illness Index
D018501:Antirheumatic Agents; D006680:HLA Antigens; D010456:Peptides, Cyclic; C487763:cyclic citrullinated peptide; D012217:Rheumatoid Factor