Table 4

Association of STAT4 rs7574865 with characteristics of systemic lupus erythematosus such as nephritis, age of onset, and anti-double-stranded-DNA antibodies

T allele

P value

Odds ratio (95% CI)

Number

Frequency

Case subgroup versus healthy controls

Nephritis

Present (n = 165)

159

48.2%

1.0 × 10^-5

1.85 (1.41–2.42)

Absent (n = 138)

121

43.8%

0.0031

1.55 (1.16–2.07)

Anti-double-stranded DNA antibodies

Present (n = 130)

125

48.1%

4.9 × 10^-5

1.84 (1.37–2.47)

Absent (n = 34)

24

35.3%

NS

1.08 (0.64–1.83)

Age of onset

<20 years (n = 86)

83

48.3%

3.9 × 10^-4

1.85 (1.32–2.60)

≥20 years (n = 198)

180

45.5%

1.4 × 10^-4

1.65 (1.28–2.14)

Healthy controls (n = 306)

205

33.5%

Case-only (present versus absent or <20 versus ≥ 20 years)

Nephritis

NS

1.19 (0.86–1.64)

Anti-double-stranded DNA antibodies

NS

1.70 (0.98–2.95)

Age of onset

NS

1.12 (0.78–1.60)

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients were stratified into subgroups according to the presence or absence of nephritis, anti-double-stranded DNA (anti-dsDNA) antibodies, and age of onset (<20 or ≥ 20 years). Allele frequencies were compared between each SLE subgroup and healthy controls as well as between SLE subgroups (case-only analysis, nephritis present versus absent, anti-dsDNA antibodies present versus absent, and age of onset <20 versus ≥ 20 years). CI, confidence interval; NS, not significant; STAT, signal transducers and activators of transcription.

Kawasaki et al. Arthritis Research & Therapy 2008 10:R113   doi:10.1186/ar2516