title: The ZC3HC1 rs11556924 polymorphism is associated with increased carotid intima-media thickness in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a complex polygenic disease associated with chronic inflammation, accelerated atherosclerosis and increased cardiovascular (CV) mortality. A recent meta-analysis has described the ZC3HC1 rs11556924 polymorphism as one of the most important signals associated with coronary artery disease (CAD) in non-rheumatic Caucasian individuals. In this study we evaluated the potential association of this gene polymorphism with subclinical atherosclerosis assessed by the evaluation of carotid intima-media thickness (cIMT) in RA patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study included 502 RA patients from Northern Spain. The ZC3HC1 rs11556924 polymorphism was genotyped with TaqMan single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) genotyping assays (C__31283062_10) in a 7900HT real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) system. cIMT was also assessed in these patients by carotid ultrasonography (US) technology.
  
  
  RESULTS
  RA patients carrying the TT genotype had significantly higher cIMT values than those homozygous for the CC genotype (mean ± standard deviation (SD): 0.76 ± 0.18 mm and mean ± SD: 0.71 ± 0.16 mm respectively; P = 0.03) even after adjusting the results for sex, age at the time of US study, follow-up time and traditional CV risk factors (P = 0.04) evidencing that the effect conferred by ZC3HC1 rs11556924 polymorphism is independent of the traditional CV risk factors.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results indicate that ZC3HC1 rs11556924 polymorphism is associated with subclinical atherosclerosis in RA.
authors.forename: Raquel
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: López-Mejías
authors.forename: Fernanda
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Genre
authors.forename: Mercedes
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: García-Bermúdez
authors.forename: Alfonso
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Corrales
authors.forename: Carlos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: González-Juanatey
authors.forename: Javier
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Llorca
authors.forename: José A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Miranda-Filloy
authors.forename: Javier
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Rueda-Gotor
authors.forename: Ricardo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Blanco
authors.forename: Santos
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Castañeda
authors.forename: Javier
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Martín
authors.forename: Miguel A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: González-Gay
mesh_terms: D048868:Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing / Q000235:genetics*; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D002339:Carotid Arteries / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000378:metabolism; D059168:Carotid Intima-Media Thickness; D018797:Cell Cycle Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D005787:Gene Frequency; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease / Q000235:genetics*; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009687:Nuclear Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide; D012307:Risk Factors
chemical_list: D048868:Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing; D018797:Cell Cycle Proteins; D009687:Nuclear Proteins; C477288:ZC3HC1 protein, human