Rheumatoid Arthritis and Alzheimer's Disease: Genetic Links
Author Information
Author(s): Christopher R. Simmons, Fanggeng Zou, Steven G. Younkin, Steven Estus
Primary Institution: University of Kentucky and Mayo Clinic College of Medicine
Hypothesis
Are genetic elements associated with increased rheumatoid arthritis risk also associated with decreased Alzheimer's disease risk?
Conclusion
RA-associated SNPs are generally not associated with AD, and the rs2837960_G allele is linked to increased risk of both RA and AD.
Supporting Evidence
- Three of seventeen RA-associated SNPs were nominally associated with AD.
- The rs2837960_G allele is associated with increased risk of both RA and AD.
- The study contests the hypothesis that genetic variants associated with RA confer protection against AD.
Takeaway
This study looked at whether genes that increase the risk of rheumatoid arthritis might protect against Alzheimer's disease, but found that they actually increase the risk of Alzheimer's instead.
Methodology
A two-stage case-control analysis was conducted to evaluate the association of RA genetic risk factors with AD.
Potential Biases
Potential biases may arise from the selection of case-control populations and the genetic focus of the study.
Limitations
The study's findings may not be generalizable due to the specific populations studied and the focus on certain SNPs.
Participant Demographics
The study included approximately 800 AD and 1200 non-AD individuals in Stage 1, and 1102 AD and 2677 non-AD individuals in Stage 2.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p = 0.002
Confidence Interval
OR 1.20
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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