High-throughput single-nucleotide polymorphism analysis of the IL1RN locus in patients with ankylosing spondylitis by matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time-of-flight mass spectrometry.

Objective: To examine single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the 3' region of the IL1RN gene in a large Caucasoid case-control series and in ankylosing spondylitis (AS) families from Western Canada by use of high-throughput MassArray matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time-of-flight (MALDI-TOF) mass spectrometry SNP typing.

Methods: An association analysis was performed in a case-control cohort of 394 AS cases and 500 controls. Family-based association analysis was performed in 58 simplex and 13 multiplex families.

HLA and cytokine gene polymorphisms in relation to occurrence of palindromic rheumatism and its progression to rheumatoid arthritis.

Objective: Palindromic rheumatism (PR) is an episodic arthropathy that may precede typical rheumatoid arthritis (RA), although pathogenetic relationships between these disorders remain unclear. The predictive value for those immunogenetic risk factors implicated in RA for disease progression in PR remains to be established. A previous retrospective analysis from our group has implicated rheumatoid factor in disease progression.

Infliximab in ankylosing spondylitis: a prospective observational inception cohort analysis of efficacy and safety.

Objective: Infliximab, a neutralizing antibody to tumor necrosis factor-alpha, appears to be effective therapy in ankylosing spondylitis (AS), although treatment is costly and serious infections are an increasing concern. We investigated the efficacy and tolerability of infliximab in a prospective observational inception cohort of patients with nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drug-refractory AS seen in both university and community based practice. We also used a lower dose, 3 mg/kg, than has been evaluated to date in AS.