Genotype-phenotype associations of polymorphisms within the gene locus of NOD-like receptor pyrin domain containing 3 in Swiss inflammatory bowel disease patients.

BACKGROUND Genetic variations within the regulatory region of the gene encoding NOD-like receptor pyrin domain containing 3 (NLRP3) have been associated with Crohn's Disease (CD). NLRP3 is part of the NLRP3-inflammasome that mediates the maturation of IL-1β and IL-18. Carrying the major allele of the single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) rs10733113, rs4353135 and rs55646866 is associated with an increased risk for CD. We here studied the impact of these polymorphisms on clinical characteristics in patients of the Swiss IBD Cohort Study (SIBDCS). METHODS We included 981 Crohn's disease (CD) patients and 690 ulcerative colitis (UC) patients of the SIBDCS. We analyzed whether three CD-associated NLRP3 polymorphisms have an impact on the clinical disease course in these patients. RESULTS In CD patients presence of the major allele (G) of rs10733113 was associated with less surgeries and lower maximal CDAI and a similar trend was observed for rs55646866 and rs4353135. Presence of the major allele of all three SNPs was negatively correlated to maximal CDAI. In UC patients homozygous genotype for the major allele (CC) for rs55646866 was associated with a higher age at diagnosis and a higher MTWAI index. Homozygous genotype for the major allele of all three polymorphisms was associated with a higher number of ambulatory visits and longer hospital stays. CONCLUSIONS In CD patients presence of the major allele of all three polymorphisms was associated with markers of a less severe disease course, while in UC the homozygous genotype for all major alleles suggested a more severe disease activity

Describing Interoperability: the OoI Ontology

Abstract. Though ontologies are widely used to solve some specific interoperability problems, there is no specific ontology defining what interoperability actually is, independently from any domain. In this paper, we propose and discuss a first version of such an ontology, namely the OoI (Ontology of Interoperability), which we formalized using the Ontology Web Language (OWL). On the basis of previous research efforts having lead to UML formalization of our model of Interoperability, we use this paper for presenting the OWL version and for linking and comparing it with other models dealing with Interoperability: maturity models for interoperability like e.g. the Levels of Information System Interoperability (LISI) model, and the Model Morphisms ontology (MoMo), which deals with interoperability of models. Finally, we illustrate in a brief use case how the OoI could be used with MoMo to provide solutions to interoperability problems between two models.

Factors associated with COVID-19-related death in people with rheumatic diseases: results from the COVID-19 Global Rheumatology Alliance physician-reported registry

Objectives: To determine factors associated with COVID-19-related death in people with rheumatic diseases. Methods: Physician-reported registry of adults with rheumatic disease and confirmed or presumptive COVID-19 (from 24 March to 1 July 2020). The primary outcome was COVID-19-related death. Age, sex, smoking status, comorbidities, rheumatic disease diagnosis, disease activity and medications were included as covariates in multivariable logistic regression models. Analyses were further stratified according to rheumatic disease category. Results: Of 3729 patients (mean age 57 years, 68% female), 390 (10.5%) died. Independent factors associated with COVID-19-related death were age (66-75 years: OR 3.00, 95% CI 2.13 to 4.22; >75 years: 6.18, 4.47 to 8.53; both vs ≤65 years), male sex (1.46, 1.11 to 1.91), hypertension combined with cardiovascular disease (1.89, 1.31 to 2.73), chronic lung disease (1.68, 1.26 to 2.25) and prednisolone-equivalent dosage >10 mg/day (1.69, 1.18 to 2.41; vs no glucocorticoid intake). Moderate/high disease activity (vs remission/low disease activity) was associated with higher odds of death (1.87, 1.27 to 2.77). Rituximab (4.04, 2.32 to 7.03), sulfasalazine (3.60, 1.66 to 7.78), immunosuppressants (azathioprine, cyclophosphamide, ciclosporin, mycophenolate or tacrolimus: 2.22, 1.43 to 3.46) and not receiving any disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drug (DMARD) (2.11, 1.48 to 3.01) were associated with higher odds of death, compared with methotrexate monotherapy. Other synthetic/biological DMARDs were not associated with COVID-19-related death. Conclusion: Among people with rheumatic disease, COVID-19-related death was associated with known general factors (older age, male sex and specific comorbidities) and disease-specific factors (disease activity and specific medications). The association with moderate/high disease activity highlights the importance of adequate disease control with DMARDs, preferably without increasing glucocorticoid dosages. Caution may be required with rituximab, sulfasalazine and some immunosuppressants