Associations between interleukin-10 polymorphisms and susceptibility to psoriasis: a meta-analysis

Objective

The aim of this study was to determine whether three specific interleukin-10 (IL-10) polymorphisms confer susceptibility to psoriasis.

Methods

A meta-analysis was conducted on the associations between the IL-10-1082 G/A, -592 C/A polymorphisms and haplotypes of the IL-10-1082 G/A, -592 C/A, -819 C/T polymorphisms and psoriasis.

Results

A total of eight studies involving 1,018 psoriasis patients and 1,186 controls were considered in the meta-analysis. No association was found between psoriasis and the IL-10-1082 G allele in all study subjects [odds ratio (OR)?=?1.098, 95?% confidence interval (CI)?=?0.923?1.306, p?=?0.291] or between this allele and psoriasis in Europeans (OR?=?0.990, 95?% CI?=?0.809?1.214, p?=?0.925), but a significant association was found in Asians (OR?=?1.785, 95?% CI?=?1.144?2.76, p?=?0.011). Three polymorphisms at the promoter region of IL-10 (-1082 G/A, -819 C/T, -592 C/A) are known to be in complete linkage disequilibrium, but no association was found between the haplotype and psoriasis.

Conclusions

This meta-analysis shows that the IL-10-1082 G/A polymorphism confers susceptibility to psoriasis in Asians, and suggests that the IL-10 promoter -1082 polymorphism has an ethnicity-specific effect.     

Polymorphisms in the CTLA-4 Gene and Rheumatoid Arthritis Susceptibility: A Meta-analysis

Introduction

The +49A/G polymorphism and CT60 polymorphism in the CTLA-4 gene have been extensively examined for the association with rheumatoid arthritis (RA); however, results of different studies have been inconclusive. The aim of this study is to comprehensively evaluate the genetic risks of +49A/G and CT60 polymorphisms in the CTLA-4 gene for RA.

Methods

A meta-analysis was carried out to analyze the association of +49A/G and CT60 polymorphisms with RA risk.

Results

A total of 30 case?Ccontrol studies in 20 articles were included in this meta-analysis. The results indicated that the variant G allele carriers (GG + GA) of +49A/G polymorphism had an 18% increased risk of RA when compared with the homozygote AA (odds ratio (OR)?=?1.18, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.04?C1.34 for GG + AG vs. AA). In addition, the variant CT60 A allele carriers of CT60 polymorphism had a 14% decreased risk of RA when compared with the homozygote GG (OR?=?0.86, 95%CI?=?0.78?C0.95 for AA + AG vs. GG). In the subgroup analysis by ethnicity, significant elevated RA risks were associated with +49G allele carriers in Asians, but not in Europeans. However, for CT60 polymorphism, significant decreased RA risks were associated with CT60 A allele carriers in Europeans, but not in Asians.

Conclusions

This meta-analysis suggested that the +49A/G and CT60 polymorphisms in the CTLA-4 gene may be risk factors for RA.     

Association between ADAM33 T1 polymorphism and susceptibility to asthma in Asians

Objective

The aim of this study was to determine whether the ADAM33 (a disintegrin and metalloproteinase domain 33) T1 (rs2280091), T2 (rs2280090), and ST+7 (rs574174) polymorphisms confer susceptibility to asthma.

Methods

A meta-analysis stratified by ethnicity and age was conducted on associations between the ADAM33 T1, T2, and ST+7 polymorphisms and asthma.

Results

Eleven studies, which included 4,124 patients and 7,094 controls, were available for the meta-analysis. Meta-analysis revealed an association between asthma and the ADAM33 T1 GG genotype [odds ratio (OR)?=?2.257, 95?% confidence interval (CI)?=?1.577–3.228, p?=?8.42?×?10^?7]. Stratification by ethnicity indicated an association between this genotype and asthma in Asians (OR?=?2.683, 95?% CI?=?1.799–4.001, p?=?1.31?×?10^?7), and stratification by age indicated an association between it and asthma in adults (OR?=?1.895, 95?% CI?=?1.005–3.573, p?=?0.048). However, no association was found between asthma and the ADAM33 T2 and ST+7 polymorphisms.

Conclusions

This meta-analysis demonstrates that the ADAM33 T1 polymorphism confers susceptibility to asthma in Asians, but no association was found between the ADAM33 T2 and ST+7 polymorphisms and asthma susceptibility.     

The association between interleukin-6 polymorphisms and rheumatoid arthritis: a meta-analysis

Objective

The aim of this study was to determine whether the functional interleukin-6 (IL-6) promoter ?174 G/C and ?572 G/C polymorphisms confer susceptibility to rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in ethnically different populations.

Methods

Meta-analysis was conducted on the associations between these IL-6 polymorphisms and RA.

Results

A total of nine studies involving 3,851 subjects (RA 2,053 and controls 1,798) were considered in this study and ethnicity-specific meta-analysis was performed on European subjects. In all study subjects, meta-analysis revealed a trend toward to an association between RA and the IL-6 ?174 G allele (odds ratio [OR]?=?0.699, 95?% confidence interval [CI]?=?0.463–1.054, p?=?0.088). Stratification by ethnicity indicated a significant association between RA and the IL-6 ?174 G/C polymorphism in Europeans using the dominant (OR?=?0.329, 95?% CI?=?0.155–0.699, p?=?0.004) and recessive (OR?=?0.823, 95?% CI?=?0.679–0.997, p?=?0.047) models. Meta-analysis of the IL-6 ?572 G/C polymorphism showed no association between RA and the IL-6 ?572 G allele in all study subjects (OR?=?1.641, 95?% CI?=?0.613–4.397, p?=?0.324).

Conclusions

This meta-analysis shows that the IL-6 ?174 G/C polymorphism may confer susceptibility to RA in Europeans.     

Association Study of Common Genetic Variants in Pre-microRNAs in Patients with Ulcerative Colitis

Background

Common single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in microRNAs (miRNA) have been shown to be associated with susceptibility to several human diseases. We evaluated the associations of three SNPs (rs11614913, rs2910164, and rs3746444) in pre-miRNAs (miR-196a2, miR-146a, and miR-499) with the risk of ulcerative colitis (UC) in a Japanese population.

Methods

The rs11614913 (T?>?C), rs2910164 (C?>?G), and rs3746444 (A?>?G) SNPs were genotyped in 170 UC and 403 control subjects.

Results

The rs3746444 AG genotype was significantly higher among the UC group (odds ratio (OR)?=?1.51, 95% CI?=?1.03?C2.21, p?=?0.037). The rs3746444 AG genotype was associated with onset at an older age (OR?=?1.70, 95% CI?=?1.04?C2.78, p?=?0.035), left-sided colitis and pancolitis (left-sided colitis, OR?=?2.10, 95% CI?=?1.12?C3.94, p?=?0.024; pancolitis, OR?=?1.81, 95% CI?=?1.09?C3.01, p?=?0.028, left-sided colitis?+?pancolitis, OR?=?1.91, 95% CI?=?1.26?C2.92, p?=?0.003), higher number of times hospitalized (OR?=?2.63, 95% CI?=?1.22?C5.69, p?=?0.017), steroid dependence (OR?=?2.63, 95% CI?=?1.27?C5.44, p?=?0.014), and refractory phenotypes (OR?=?2.76, 95% CI?=?1.46?C5.21, p?=?0.002) while the rs3746444 AA genotype was inversely associated with the number of times hospitalized (2??, OR?=?0.36, 95% CI?=?0.17?C0.79, p?=?0.012), steroid dependence (OR?=?0.42, 95% CI?=?0.21?C0.88, p?=?0.021), and refractory phenotypes (OR?=?0.38, 95% CI?=?0.20?C0.72, p?=?0.003). The rs1161913 TT genotype also held a significantly higher risk of refractory phenotype (T/T vs. T/C?+?C/C, OR?=?2.21, 95% CI?=?1.17?C4.18, p?=?0.016).

Conclusions

Our results provided the first evidence that rs3746444 SNP may influence the susceptibility to UC, and both rs3746444 and rs11614913 SNPs may influence the pathophysiological features of UC.     

A Single Nucleotide Polymorphism of IL-21 Gene is Associated with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus in a Chinese Population

The aim of this study was to examine the association of single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in IL-21 gene with susceptibility to systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) in a Chinese population. A total of 605 independent SLE patients and 666 unrelated healthy controls were recruited for the case?Ccontrol association study. Two SNPs (rs2221903 and rs907715) within the IL-21 gene intronic region were genotyped by TaqMan SNP allelic discrimination methods. The allele T frequency of SNP rs2221903 in patients and healthy controls was 89.4?% and 86.8?%, respectively [T versus C, odds ratio (OR)?=?1.287, 95?% confidence interval (CI)?=?1.010?C1.640]. No significant differences in genotype frequencies were shown between SLE patients and healthy controls (P value?=?0.705, 0.406, respectively). However, the effect of recessive model (TT versus CC?+?CT, OR?=?1.368, 95?% CI?=?1.050?C1.781) was observed. Distributions of allele and genotype frequencies of the SNP rs907715 showed no significant differences between SLE patients and controls. Analysis of the haplotypes revealed that CC haplotype was significantly associated with SLE (OR?=?0.734, 95?% CI?=?0.573?C0.941). In conclusion, our findings suggest that a SNP (rs2221903) and CC haplotype (rs2221903 and rs907715) of the IL-21 gene is associated with SLE in the Chinese population. However, further studies are needed to determine the functional consequences of this polymorphism with SLE susceptibility.     

Emerging Role of SIGIRR rs7396562(T/G) Polymorphism in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus in a Chinese Population

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a systemic autoimmune disease, with heterogeneous presentation. The aim of this study was to examine the association of a single-nucleotide polymorphism, rs7396562, of the interferon induced with single immunoglobulin IL-1-related receptor (SIGIRR) gene with SLE in a Chinese population. A total of 741 SLE patients and 731 healthy control subjects were enrolled in the present study. The genotyping of polymorphism (rs7396562) was determined by TaqMan allele discrimination assay on the 7,300 real-time polymerase chain reaction system. The frequency of T allele for rs7396562 in patients was significantly higher than in controls (T versus G, OR?=?1.318, 95 % confidence interval (CI)?=?1.139–1.525, P?P?versus GG, P?=?0.002; TT versus TG?+?GG, P?=?0.002). We also analyzed the association of the SIGIRR rs7396562 T allele with clinical features; luckily, photosensitivity and malar rash had some significant signal with the SNP. In conclusion, our study represents the first report demonstrating an association of the SIGIRR rs7396562 polymorphism with SLE susceptibility in a Chinese population.     

Association of polymorphic variants of IL-1β and IL-1RN genes in the development of Graves’ disease in Kashmiri population (North India)

Purpose

Graves’ disease (GD) is a multigenic, organ specific autoimmune disorder with a strong genetic predisposition and IL-1β has been shown to be involved in its pathogenesis. The present study was aimed to determine the genetic associations between polymorphisms of IL-1β gene promoter region (?511?T>C) (rs16944), exon 5 (+3954 C>T) (rs1143634) and IL-1RN gene VNTR (rs2234663) polymorphism in patients with GD in ethnic Kashmiri population.

TYK2 rs34536443 polymorphism is associated with a decreased susceptibility to endometriosis-related infertility

Introduction

Tyrosine kinase 2 gene (TYK2) is part of the janus kinase (JAK) that binds to the type I interferon-α receptor (IFNAR) on the cell surface of IFN-producing cells, and have crucial importance in the etiology of autoimmune and inflammatory diseases. Many polymorphisms of the TYK2 gene have been identified, and recently, a number of case–control studies were conducted to investigate the association of these polymorphisms with autoimmune and inflammatory diseases, with conflicting results. Based on these observations, we hypothesized that the TYK2 polymorphisms (rs34536443, rs2304256, rs280523, rs12720270 and rs12720356) might be involved in the pathogenesis of endometriosis and/or infertility.

Methods

Genetic association study comprising 275 infertile women with endometriosis, 92 women with idiopathic infertility and 307 fertile women as controls. TYK2 polymorphisms were identified by TaqMan PCR. Genotype distribution, allele frequency and haplotype analysis of the TYK2 polymorphisms were performed. A p-value <0.05 was considered significant.

Results

Single-marker analysis revealed that TYK2 rs34536443 was significantly associated with protection against endometriosis-related infertility, especially in moderate/severe disease (p = 0.002; OR = 0.24, 95% IC = 0.09–0.62). No difference was found considering the infertile group without endometriosis. No associations were found considering rs2304256, rs280523, rs12720270 and rs12720356 either for endometriosis-related infertility group or idiopathic infertility group. Haplotype analysis of five TYK2 polymorphisms identified a haplotype “CTATG” associated with protection against endometriosis-related infertility, especially in moderate/severe disease (p = 0.027).

Conclusion

This is the first study to report an association between TYK2 polymorphisms and endometriosis and/or infertility. These findings require replication in other populations but suggest the TYK2 rs34536443 polymorphisms and “CTATG” haplotype can be associated with a decreased susceptibility to endometriosis-related infertility in Brazilian women.     

Association of IL23R polymorphisms with psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis: a meta-analysis

Background

The association of variants in the IL23R gene with psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis (PsA) is a robust genetic finding

Objectives

To assess whether combined evidence shows the association between IL23R polymorphisms and susceptibility to psoriasis/PsA.

Methods

We conducted a meta-analysis to examine the association between the IL23R rs11209026 (Q381R), rs7530511 (L310P), and rs2201841 polymorphisms and psoriasis/PsA.

Results

Thirteen articles met the inclusion criteria and contributed data to the meta-analysis. For rs11209026, the odds ratios (ORs) of minor alleles for psoriasis and PsA were 0.616 [95?% confidence interval (CI) 0.563–0.674] and 0.630 (95?% CI 0.524–0.757), respectively. For rs7530511, the pooled ORs were 0.820 (95?% CI 0.764–0.879) for psoriasis and 0.875 (95?% CI 0.766–1.000) for PsA; for rs2201841 the OR was 1.121 (95?% CI 1.031–1.219) for psoriasis. In genotypic analysis, the association of rs11209026 (A) and rs7530511 (T) were compatible with the dominant model (P?P?=?0.001 respectively). The overall ORs for GG vs. AA (OR 1.339; 95?% CI 1.151–1.558), GG vs. GA (OR 1.143; 95?% CI 1.004–1.300), dominant (OR 1.226; 95?% CI 1.143–1.316), and recessive (OR 1.254; 95?% CI 1.115–1.411) models of rs2201841 were all significantly increased in psoriasis. No publication bias was present.

Conclusions

Our results demonstrate a significant association between IL23R gene polymorphisms and psoriasis/PsA.     

PTPN22 1858C > T polymorphism and susceptibility to systemic lupus erythematosus: a meta-analysis update

Studies performed in the past years showed PTNP22 1858?C?>?T (rs2476601) polymorphism as associated with systemic lupus erythematosus susceptibility, although conflicting findings are still found. In this context, a powerful statistical study, such as meta-analysis, is necessary to establish a consensus. The aim of this study was to evaluate association studies between the PTPN22 1858?C?>?T polymorphism and SLE by a meta-analysis update, including three recently published studies in the last three?years. A total of 3868 SLE patients and 7458 healthy individuals were considered herein, enclosing 19 studies from Asian, American, European and Latin ethnic groups. Odds ratio (OR) was performed for allelic, dominant and recessive genetic models. Statistically significant association was found between the PTPN22 1858?C?>?T polymorphism and susceptibility to SLE in all inheritance models. Allelic genetic model data (OR?=?1.54, 95% confidence interval (CI)?=?1.38–1.72, p value=.000) shows that T allele confers increased SLE susceptibility. As well as recessive genetic model (OR?=?2.04, 95% CI?=?1.09–3.82, p value?=?.030) for T/T genotype. Instead, dominant genetic model shows that C/C genotype confers lower susceptibility for SLE development (OR?=?0.62, 95% CI?=?0.54–0.72, p value?=?.000). In addition, we provided an ethnicity-derived meta-analysis. The results showed association in Caucasian (OR?=?1.47, p value?=?.000) and Latin (OR?=?2.41, p value?=?.000) ethnic groups. However, rs2476601 polymorphism is not associated nor in Asian (OR=?1.31; p value?=?.54) and African (OR?=?2.04; p value=.22) populations. In conclusion, present meta-analysis update confirms that T allele and T/T genotype in PTPN22 1858?C?>?T polymorphism confers SLE susceptibility, particular in Caucasian and Latin groups, suggesting PTPN22 1858?C?>?T as a potential genetic marker in SLE susceptibility.     

Modern Health Worries, Subjective Health Complaints, Health Care Utilization, and Sick Leave in the Norwegian Working Population

Background

Modern health worries (concerns about aspects of modern life affecting health) heve been associated with subjective health complaints and health care utilization.

Purpose

The aim of this study was to investigate the association between modern health worries (MHW) and subjective health complaints (SHC), health care utilization, and sick leave related to such complaints in the Norwegian working population.

Methods

A sample of the Norwegian working population (N?=?569) answered a questionnaire which included the Subjective Health Complaints Inventory and a Norwegian version of the Modern Health Worries Scale.

Results

Ninety-one percent of the participants reported at least one complaint in the past 30 days, and 96 % of the participants reported concerns for at least one of the items in the MHW scale. Women reported significantly more and more severe complaints compared to men and significantly more concern about aspects of modern life affecting health. Participants who reported a high level of MHW showed nearly twice the risk of reporting a high level of SHC (odds ratio (OR)?=?1.83; 95 % confidence interval (CI)?=?1.30–2.71; p?=?0.001), and they showed twice the risk for self-certified sick leave related to SHC (OR?=?2.04; 95 % CI?=?1.01–3.92; p?=?0.048). High levels of MHW showed no significant association with health care utilization or doctor-certified sick leave.

Conclusions

Subjective health complaints and concerns about aspects of modern life affecting health are very common, even among healthy workers. Women have more complaints and more concerns compared to men. Within the health care system, it may be advantageous to pay close attention to the association between high levels of MHW and high levels of SHC.     

Interleukin-23 receptor gene variants in Hungarian systemic lupus erythematosus patients

Objective

We investigated the association between systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and polymorphisms of interleukin-23 receptor (IL23R) gene, which was recently found to be associated with autoimmune diseases, including Crohn’s disease, rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis and ankylosing spondylitis.

Subjects

We analysed 383 SLE patients and 253 controls for rs11805303, rs10889677, rs1004819, rs2201841, rs11209032, 11209026, rs10489629, rs7517847 and rs7530511 variants.

Methods

The analysis was carried out using PCR–RFLP methods. Logistic regression analysis was used to compare the genotype distributions of the polymorphisms and haplotypes between the SLE patients and healthy controls.

Results

We observed no significant difference of the examined variants between the patient and control groups.

Conclusions

Our results suggest that neither single nucleotide variants nor haplotypes of IL23R indicate susceptibility to developing SLE in the Hungarian population.     

Associations between TNFSF4 and TRAF1-C5 gene polymorphisms and systemic lupus erythematosus: A meta-analysis

Objective

The aim of this study was to determine whether tumor necrosis factor superfamily 4 (TNFSF4) and TNF receptor-associated factor 1-complement 5 (TRAF1-C5) polymorphisms confer susceptibility to systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).

Methods

The authors conducted meta-analyses on associations between polymorphisms of the TNFSF4 (rs2205960, rs1234315, rs10489265) and TRAF1-C5 (rs10818488, rs3761847) genes and SLE susceptibility, using fixed and random effects models.

Results

A total of 21 comparative studies were included in this meta-analysis; meta-analysis showed an association between the minor allele of rs2205960 of TNFSF4 and SLE in all study subjects (odds ratio [OR] = 1.356, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.275–1.442, p < 1.0 × 10⁻⁹). Meta-analysis revealed an association between the minor alleles of rs1234315 and rs10489265 of TNFSF4 and SLE in Asians (OR = 1.366, 95% CI = 1.295–1.440, p < 1.0 × 10⁻⁹; OR = 1.463, 95% CI = 1.208–1.771, p = 9.7 × 10⁻⁵). The minor allele of rs10818488 of TRAF1-C5 was found to be significantly associated with SLE in Europeans (OR = 1.210, 95% CI = 1.115–1.313, p = 5.0 × 10⁻⁶). The association p-values remained significant after multiple corrections.

Conclusions

This meta-analysis confirms that TNFSF4 polymorphisms are associated with susceptibility to SLE in Asians and Europeans. An association was found between the rs10818488 polymorphism of TRAF1-C5 and susceptibility to SLE in Europeans.     

The relevance of Tim-3 polymorphisms and F protein to the outcomes of HCV infection

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is one of the major causes of liver inflammation. The aim of this study was to investigate the associations of T-cell immunoglobulin and mucin domain-3 (Tim-3) polymorphisms and the alternate reading frame protein (F protein) with the outcomes of HCV infection. Three single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs; rs10053538, rs12186731, and rs13170556) of Tim-3 were genotyped in this study, which included 203 healthy controls, 558 hepatitis C anti-F-positive patients, and 163 hepatitis C anti-F-negative patients. The results revealed that the rs12186731 CT and rs13170556 TC and CC genotypes were significantly less frequent in the anti-F-positive patients [odds ratio (OR)?=?0.54, 95 % confidence interval (CI)?=?0.35–0.83, p?=?0.005; OR?=?0.26, 95 % CI?=?0.18–0.39, p?<?0.001; and OR?=?0.19, 95 % CI?=?0.10–0.35, p?<?0.001, respectively), and the rs13170556 TC genotype was more frequent in the chronic HCV (CHC) patients (OR?=?1.70, 95 % CI?=?1.20–2.40, p?=?0.002). The combined analysis of the rs12186731 CT and rs13170556 TC/CC genotypes revealed a locus-dosage protective effect in the anti-F-positive patients (OR?=?0.22, 95 % CI?=?0.14–0.33, p _trend?<?0.001). Stratified analyses revealed that the frequencies of the rs12186731 (CT?+?TT) genotypes were significantly lower in the older (OR?=?0.31, 95 % CI?=?0.15–0.65, p?=?0.002) and female (OR?=?0.30, 95 % CI?=?0.17–0.52, p?<?0.001) subgroups, and rs13170556 (TC?+?CC) genotypes exhibited the same effect in all subgroups (all p?<?0.001) in the anti-F antibody generations. Moreover, the rs13170556 (TC?+?CC) genotypes were significantly more frequent in the younger (OR?=?1.86, 95 % CI?=?1.18–2.94, p?=?0.007) and female (OR?=?2.38, 95 % CI?=?1.48–3.83, p?<?0.001) subgroups of CHC patients. These findings suggest that the rs12186731 CT and rs13170556 TC/CC genotypes of Tim-3 provide potential protective effects with the F protein in the outcomes of HCV infection and that these effects are related to sex and age.     

Body Image in Patients with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus

Background

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), a multisystemic disease of young women may be disfiguring and affect physical and emotional health. Body image literature in SLE is scant and controversial.

Purpose

We compared body image-related quality of life in subjects with (n?=?87) and without (n?=?78) SLE and determined its correlates using the body image quality of life inventory (BIQLI).

Method

The tool was self-administered to consenting individuals. Demographic information along with disease activity and damage assessments for SLE patients were obtained. T test, chi square test, correlational, and regression analyses were used to make comparisons.

Results

Mean age (±SD) were 42.4?±?13.1 and 38.7?±?13.2?years for SLE and non-SLE subjects, respectively. Mean (±SD) BIQLI scores were significantly worse in SLE than non-SLE subjects: 19.9?±?33.2 and 41.6?±?24.8 (p?=?0.001). In SLE, BIQLI scores correlated inversely with overall damage, irreversible cutaneous damage, alopecia, and self-reported depression, and directly with age and health status.

Conclusion

Body image in SLE is poor, and effective interventions may be directed at cutaneous disease activity, damage, and depression.     

Associations Between Environmental Characteristics and Active Commuting to School Among Children: a Cross-sectional Study

Background

Active commuting to school can contribute to active living among children, and environmental characteristics might be related to transportation mode to school.

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to explore the association between physical and social environmental characteristics in the home, neighborhood, and school environment and walking and bicycling to school.

Method

Data were collected among parents (n?=?5,963) of children of primary schools in four Dutch cities. Parents reported mode of transportation to school, and individual, home environmental, neighborhood, and school environmental characteristics. Social as well as physical characteristics were included for the home and neighborhood environment. Multilevel multinomial logistic regression analyses were conducted to quantify the association between environmental characteristics and walking and bicycling to school.

Results

Three quarter of all children usually commute to school by active transportation, but age and distance from home to school were important prerequisites. Besides home environmental characteristics, lower neighborhood socioeconomic status was negatively associated with walking [odds ratio (OR)?=?0.51] and bicycling (OR?=?0.86). Perceived social safety was positively related to walking and bicycling (OR?=?1.04 for both), as was perceived social cohesion (OR?=?1.04 and 1.02 for walking and bicycling). Living in the city center was positively associated with walking (OR?=?1.91), whereas living in a city green neighborhood was negatively associated with walking and bicycling (OR?=?0.48 and 0.76, respectively). Traffic safety as perceived by school boards was positively associated with bicycling (OR?=?1.25).

Conclusion

This study shows that there is a relation between several characteristics in the home, neighborhood, and school environment and walking and bicycling to school among Dutch primary school children. Especially the social neighborhood characteristics were related to active commuting. Therefore, apart from providing a physical infrastructure that facilitates safe and convenient active commuting to school, policy makers should be aware of opportunities to facilitate active commuting by social initiatives in local communities.     

Tumor necrosis factor gene polymorphisms are associated with systemic lupus erythematosus susceptibility or lupus nephritis in Mexican patients

The TNF -238G/A (rs361525) and -308G/A (rs1800629) polymorphisms have consistently been associated with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) in several populations; however, these findings have not been verified in all populations. Here, we aimed to examine whether the TNF -238G/A, -308G/A, -376G/A (rs1800750), and -1031T/C (rs1799964) polymorphisms confer SLE or lupus nephritis (LN) susceptibility in a Mexican population. Our study included 442 patients with SLE and 495 controls. For genotyping, we used the TaqMan 5′ allele discrimination assay. The TNF -238G/A and -1031T/C polymorphisms were associated with SLE susceptibility (odds ratio (OR) 2.1, p?=?0.0005 and OR 1.4, p?=?0.003, respectively). Gender stratification showed a strong association between TNF -238G/A and SLE in women (OR 2.2, p?=?0.00006), while TNF -1031T/C had an OR of 1.5 (p?=?0.007). With regard to the TNF -376G/A polymorphism, this also showed association with SLE susceptibility (OR 1.95, p?=?0.036) and LN (OR 3.5, p?=?0.01). In conclusion, our study provides the first demonstration of association between the TNF -376G/A polymorphism and SLE and LN susceptibility. In addition, our study is the second documenting an association of TNF -1031T/C with SLE susceptibility. We also observed a strong association between TNF -238G/A and SLE susceptibility. The TNF 308G/A polymorphism was not associated with SLE or LN.