title: Genetic variants of STAT4 are associated with ankylosing spondylitis susceptibility and severity in a Chinese Han population.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Genetic factors play an important role in ankylosing spondylitis (AS) etiology and signal transducer and activator of transcription 4 (STAT4) gene polymorphisms may be involved. The aim of this study was to test whether STAT4 variants were associated with susceptibility to AS in a Chinese population.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 175 subjects who were diagnosed as AS and 249 healthy age-matched controls were enrolled in the present study. The rs7574865 G/T SNP in STAT4 gene was genotyped in all the subjects. The SPSS software was used to investigate the association between the rs7574865 genotypes and AS susceptibility or severity.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Rs7574865 G/T was found to be significantly associated with increased risk and severity of AS.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our data demonstrated the STAT4 rs7574865 G/T SNP was significantly associated with increased AS susceptibility and severity in Chinese Han Population.
authors: Department of Nuclear Medicine, The Hospital Affiliated of Weifang Medical University Kuiwen Region 261031, Weifang City, Shandong Province, China.
authors: Zhixiang
authors: Z
authors: Liu
authors: Department of Nuclear Medicine, The Hospital Affiliated of Weifang Medical University Kuiwen Region 261031, Weifang City, Shandong Province, China.
authors: Peisen
authors: P
authors: Zhang
authors: Department of Nuclear Medicine, The Hospital Affiliated of Weifang Medical University Kuiwen Region 261031, Weifang City, Shandong Province, China.
authors: Jie
authors: J
authors: Dong
keywords: Ankylosing spondylitis; Chinese Han population; STAT4; gene polymorphism