Abstract
Objective
To determine the prevalence and confirmation rate of autoimmune diseases reported by relatives of patients with lupus and controls.
Methods
Medical histories were obtained by self-report from 626 first-degree relatives of lupus patients and 267 population controls.
Results
Of 178 reports of an autoimmune disease, 44% were confirmed by medical records; excluding those whose medical records were unavailable, the confirmation rate was 76%. The prevalence of at least one confirmed autoimmune disease was 12% in lupus relatives and 2% in controls.
Conclusion
Methods to improve the reliability of self-reported autoimmune disease history could enhance population and clinic-based research.
Key Indexing Terms:Footnotes
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G.S. Cooper, PhD, Epidemiologist, US Environmental Protection Agency; J. Wither, MD, PhD, Toronto Western Hospital Research Institute, University Health Network, and Arthritis Centre of Excellence, University of Toronto; T. McKenzie, BSc, MSc, Toronto Western Hospital Research Institute, University Health Network; J.O. Claudio, PhD, Toronto Western Hospital Research Institute, University Health Network; S. Bernatsky, MD, PhD, Divisions of Rheumatology and Clinical Epidemiology, McGill University Health Centre; P.R. Fortin, MD, MPH, Toronto Western Hospital Research Institute, University Health Network, University of Toronto Lupus Clinic, Centre for Prognosis Studies in the Rheumatic Diseases, Toronto Western Hospital, University Health Network; Department of Medicine, University of Toronto.
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Supported by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, grant no. 62840. Dr. Fortin is supported by a Distinguished Senior Investigator Award from The Arthritis Society and by the Arthritis Centre of Excellence, University of Toronto. Dr. Wither is supported by the Arthritis Centre of Excellence. The views expressed in this article are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views or policies of the US Environmental Protection Agency.
- Accepted for publication May 15, 2008.
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