RT Journal Article SR Electronic T1 Tumor necrosis factor-alpha gene polymorphism in severe and mild-moderate rheumatoid arthritis. JF The Journal of Rheumatology JO J Rheumatol FD The Journal of Rheumatology SP 29 OP 33 VO 29 IS 1 A1 Martina Fabris A1 Poi Emma Di A1 Angela D'Elia A1 Giuseppe Damante A1 Luigi Sinigaglia A1 Gianfranco Ferraccioli YR 2002 UL http://www.jrheum.org/content/29/1/29.abstract AB OBJECTIVE: To examine whether severe rheumatoid arthritis (RA) carries a -238 or +489 tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) genotype different from mild-moderate RA. METHODS: We investigated 163 patients (66 with severe disease) and 67 healthy blood donor controls. Genotyping was performed by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism. RESULTS: Patients with severe RA (all active disease despite disease modifying antirheumatic drug combination therapy) disclosed the -238 GG genotype in 100% of cases versus 92.8% of the mild-moderates and 92.5% of controls (OR 11.7, Cl 0.6-216, p = 0.03). The +489 AA genotype was seen less often in patients than in controls (OR 4.2. CI 0.97-18.4, p = 0.045), and the contribution to this trend appeared predominant in the anti-TNF treated subgroup. CONCLUSION: The -238 AG genotype was absent in severe RA; in contrast, patients with mild-moderate RA disclosed the same frequency as controls. Thus -238 GG homozygosity is associated with severe RA. The +489 AA genotype might instead protect against worse outcome in RA.