Genome-Wide Association Study in Asian Populations Identifies Variants in ETS1 and WDFY4 Associated with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus

Systemic lupus erythematosus is a complex and potentially fatal autoimmune disease, characterized by autoantibody production and multi-organ damage. By a genome-wide association study (320 patients and 1,500 controls) and subsequent replication altogether involving a total of 3,300 Asian SLE patients from Hong Kong, Mainland China, and Thailand, as well as 4,200 ethnically and geographically matched controls, genetic variants in ETS1 and WDFY4 were found to be associated with SLE (ETS1: rs1128334, P = 2.33×10−11, OR = 1.29; WDFY4: rs7097397, P = 8.15×10−12, OR = 1.30). ETS1 encodes for a transcription factor known to be involved in a wide range of immune functions, including Th17 cell development and terminal differentiation of B lymphocytes. SNP rs1128334 is located in the 3′-UTR of ETS1, and allelic expression analysis from peripheral blood mononuclear cells showed significantly lower expression level from the risk allele. WDFY4 is a conserved protein with unknown function, but is predominantly expressed in primary and secondary immune tissues, and rs7097397 in WDFY4 changes an arginine residue to glutamine (R1816Q) in this protein. Our study also confirmed association of the HLA locus, STAT4, TNFSF4, BLK, BANK1, IRF5, and TNFAIP3 with SLE in Asians. These new genetic findings may help us to gain a better understanding of the disease and the functions of the genes involved

Recommendations for the medical treatment of rheumatoid artritis [Recommendaciones para el tratamiento médico de la artritis reumatoide]

[No abstract available

Guidelines for the treatment of ankylosing spndylitis and its effect in Mexican rheumatology [Fundamentos para el tratamiento de la espondilitis anquilosante y su efecto en la reumatología mexicana]

We describe the guidelines for the current treatment of ankylosing spondylitis with an emphasis on the role and outlook of the Mexican rheumatologic community. The topics we analyze include: epidemiological as well as professional, financial, health status, and quality of life aspects. We propose to acknowledge that axial spondyloarthritis is the earliest form of ankylosing spondylitis. Finally we carry out a review of the literature supporting current therapeutic recommendations. Regarding the latter, we approached the ASAS/EULAR recommendations for the treatment of ankylosing spondylitis and their level of agreement with Mexican and other countries' rheumatologists. Finally, we analyzed the recommendations to start tumor necrosis alpha blockers among patients with ankylosing spondylitis

Guidelines in RA treatment: Concepts on safety and recomendations using anti-TNF-α inhibitors [Recomendaciones para el tratamiento médico de la artritis reumatoide: Actualización sobre la seguridad de los antagonistas del factor de necrosis tumoral alfa]

Recommendations for the use of Disease-Modifying Antirheumatic Drugs (DMARD) with both conventional and biological agents in Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) must be based on their safety profile, adverse effects, risks, and advantages. With the purpose of presenting the most updated information about the safety of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFα) antagonists, in this article we summarize the literature published during the last three years about this sort of biological agents in specific clinical situations, such as risk of developing infections, cancer, cardiovascular diseases, and autoimmunity; as well as their administration to patients who will undergo surgical procedures, pregnant and/or breast-feeding women, and patients who need immunizations. Likewise, in this analysis we offer specific recommendations, based on evidence, for the best anti-TNF-alfa management

Guidelines in RA treatment: Concepts on safety and recomendations using anti-TNF-? inhibitors [Recomendaciones para el tratamiento médico de la artritis reumatoide: Actualización sobre la seguridad de los antagonistas del factor de necrosis tumoral alfa]

Recommendations for the use of Disease-Modifying Antirheumatic Drugs (DMARD) with both conventional and biological agents in Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) must be based on their safety profile, adverse effects, risks, and advantages. With the purpose of presenting the most updated information about the safety of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF?) antagonists, in this article we summarize the literature published during the last three years about this sort of biological agents in specific clinical situations, such as risk of developing infections, cancer, cardiovascular diseases, and autoimmunity; as well as their administration to patients who will undergo surgical procedures, pregnant and/or breast-feeding women, and patients who need immunizations. Likewise, in this analysis we offer specific recommendations, based on evidence, for the best anti-TNF-alfa management