TY - JOUR T1 - Lack of association between intercellular adhesion molecule-1 gene polymorphisms and giant cell arteritis. JF - The Journal of Rheumatology JO - J Rheumatol SP - 1600 LP - 1604 VL - 28 IS - 7 AU - M M Amoli AU - E Shelley AU - D L Mattey AU - C Garcia-Porrua AU - W Thomson AU - A H Hajeer AU - W E Ollier AU - M A Gonzalez-Gay Y1 - 2001/07/01 UR - http://www.jrheum.org/content/28/7/1600.abstract N2 - OBJECTIVE: Studies have shown an association between HLA-DRB1*04 and giant cell arteritis (GCA). Intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) gene polymorphisms were reported to contribute susceptibility to GCA in Italian patients where susceptibility to GCA is not associated with HLA-DRB1*04 alleles. ICAM-1 is also highly expressed within inflammatory infiltrates of the blood vessels of GCA patients. To investigate the clinical implications of ICAM-1 polymorphisms in GCA, we examined their potential association and influence in the development of visual ischemic complications in a series of patients with GCA from Northwest Spain where GCA susceptibility is associated with HLA-DRB1*04. METHODS: Fifty-eight biopsy proven GCA and 129 ethnically matched controls were studied. Patients and controls were genotyped for ICAM-1 polymorphism at codons 241 and 469 by PCR-RFLP. RESULTS: The distribution of the alleles and genotypes for each ICAM- polymorphism did not show significant differences between GCA patients and controls. Although visual manifestations were significantly more likely to occur in men than women (OR 5.2, p = 0.018), allele and genotype frequencies of ICAM-1 polymorphisms in patients with GCA were not associated with development of visual complications or anemia. Visual complications in GCA were primarily associated with carriage of an HLA-DRB1*04 allele. No evidence was found for interaction between HLA-DRB1*04 and ICAM-1 polymorphism. CONCLUSION: ICAM-1 polymorphisms are not genetic risk factors for the susceptibility and severity of GCA in Northwest Spain. ER -