Analysis of the ImmunoChip single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) array in 2816 individuals, comprising the most common subtypes (oligoarticular and RF negative polyarticular) of juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) and 13056 controls strengthens the evidence for association to three known JIA-risk loci (HLA, PTPN22 and PTPN2) and has identified fourteen risk loci reaching genome-wide significance (p < 5 × 10-8) for the first time. Eleven additional novel regions showed suggestive evidence for association with JIA (p < 1 × 10-6). Dense-mapping of loci along with bioinformatic analysis has refined the association to one gene for eight regions, highlighting crucial pathways, including the IL-2 pathway, in JIA disease pathogenesis. The entire ImmunoChip loci, HLA region and the top 27 loci (p < 1 × 10-6) explain an estimated 18%, 13% and 6% risk of JIA, respectively. Analysis of the ImmunoChip dataset, the largest cohort of JIA cases investigated to date, provides new insight in understanding the genetic basis for this childhood autoimmune disease.

Objective. Blau syndrome and its sporadic counterpart, early-onset sarcoidosis, share an identical phenotype featuring the classic triad of arthritis, dermatitis, and uveitis and are associated with mutations of CARD15 in 50-90% of cases. We chose the term "pediatric granulomatous arthritis" to refer to both. An international registry was established in the spring of 2005 to define the phenotype spectrum and establish the mutation frequency and variants.Methods. Histologically confirmed granuloma and arthritis were required for inclusion. Probands and relatives were genotyped for CARD15. Deidentified clinical information was collected.Results. One year after the inception of the registry, 61 individuals from 22 pedigrees had been entered. Seven pedigrees with 19 individuals (8 affected, 11 unaffected) had clinical disease that was atypical, and none of the individuals in those pedigrees showed mutations. There were 9 classic simplex pediatric granulomatous arthritis pedigrees including 19 individuals (9 affected, 10 unaffected) and 6 classic multiplex pedigrees with 22 individuals (17 affected, 5 unaffected). Cutaneous presentation was the most common. Arthritis was polyarticular in 96% of patients. Isolated eye disease was never the presenting symptom, but significant/severe visual impairment was observed in 41% of patients. Eye disease was bilateral in 21 of 22 patients and was complicated by glaucoma in 6 of 22 patients and by cataracts in 50% of patients. Skin biopsy was the best diagnostic approach (because of accuracy and low invasiveness).Conclusion. In this series, the first combining familial and sporadic pedigrees and, to our knowledge, the largest, we further defined the phenotype and showed that all affected classic (and no nonclassic) pedigrees carry a mutation and that there is no asymptomatic carriage. If these data are confirmed, mutation analysis rather than tissue sampling may prove to be the most efficient diagnostic procedure.

Blau syndrome is a monogenic disease resulting from mutations in the pattern recognition receptor NOD2, and is phenotypically characterized by the triad of granulomatous polyarthritis, dermatitis and uveitis. This paper reviews briefly the classical clinical features of the disease, as well as more recently described extra-triad symptoms. From an ongoing prospective multicenter study, we provide new data on the natural history of Blau syndrome, focusing on functional status and visual outcome. We also present an update of the range of different NOD2 mutations found in Blau syndrome as well as recent data on morphologic and immunohistochemical characteristics of the Blau granuloma. Finally, emerging insights into pathogenic mechanisms including activation of NOD2 signal transduction, and potential biomarkers of disease activity are discussed.

BS is associated with severe ocular and articular morbidity. Visceral involvement is common and may be life-threatening. Bone dysplastic changes may show diagnostic value and suggest a previously unknown role of NOD2 in bone morphogenesis. BS is resistant to current drugs, suggesting the need for novel targeted therapies.

Objective. To test for associations between nonmajor histocompatibility complex susceptibility loci previously reported in autoimmune diseases and juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA).Methods. Published autoimmune disease genomewide association studies were reviewed, and 519 singlenucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were selected for association testing. The initial cohort included 809 JIA cases and 3,535 controls of non-Hispanic, European ancestry. Of the SNPs, 257 were successfully genotyped, while 168 were imputed with quality. Based on findings in the initial cohort, replication was sought for 21 SNPs in a second cohort of 1,015 JIA cases and 1,569 controls collected in the US and Germany. For the initial cohort, tests for association were adjusted for potential confounding effects of population structure by including principal components derived from a genome-wide association study as covariates in logistic regression models. Odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals were calculated.Results. Testing for association of previously reported autoimmune disease genetic associations in the initial cohort suggested associations with JIA in 13 distinct loci. Of these, 7 were validated in the replication cohort. Conclusion. General susceptibility loci for autoimmunity are shared across diseases, including JIA, suggesting the potential for common therapeutic targets and mechanisms. Meta-analysis results for the replicating loci includedJuvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) is a childhoodonset autoimmune disorder characterized by inflammation of the joints and other tissues. The histopathology Dr.

ObjectiveTo report on the demographic data from the fi rst 18 months of enrollment to an international registry on autoinfl ammatory diseases in the context of the Eurofever project. Methods A web-based registry collecting baseline and clinical information on autoinfl ammatory diseases and related conditions is available in the member area of the PRINTO web-site. Anonymised data were collected with standardised forms.

Objective. To study the phenotype characteristics of the largest to date cohort of patients with pediatric granulomatous arthritis (PGA) and documented mutations in the NOD2 gene.Methods. We analyzed merged data from 2 prospective cohorts of PGA patients, the International PGA Registry and a Spanish cohort. A systematic review of the medical records of interest was performed to identify phenotype characteristics.Results. Forty-five patients with PGA (23 sporadic cases and 22 from familial pedigrees) and documented NOD2 mutations were identified and formed the basis of the study. Of these 45 patients, 18 had the R334W-encoding mutation, 18 had R334Q, 4 had E383K, 3 had R587C, 1 had C495Y, and 1 had W490L.The majority of patients manifested the typical triad of dermatitis, uveitis, and arthritis. In contrast, in 13 patients, the following "atypical" manifestations were noted: fever, sialadenitis, lymphadenopathy, erythema nodosum, leukocytoclastic vasculitis, transient neuropathy, granulomatous glomerular and interstitial nephritis, interstitial lung disease, arterial hypertension, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, pericarditis, pulmonary embolism, hepatic granulomatous infiltration, splenic involvement, and chronic renal failure. In addition, 4 individuals who were asymptomatic carriers of a disease-causing mutation were documented.Conclusion. NOD2-associated PGA can be a multisystem disorder with significant visceral involvement. Treating physicians should be aware of the systemic nature of this condition, since some of these manifestations may entail long-term morbidity.Pediatric granulomatous arthritis (PGA) encompasses 2 diseases with an identical phenotype, the autosomal-dominant Blau syndrome and early-onset sarcoidosis, a sporadic condition. The finding of identical mutations on exon 4 of the NOD2 gene supports the notion that these diseases are actually the same (1-3). Blau (4) described the syndrome that bears his name as a triad of granulomatous boggy polyarthritis, uveitis, and papuloerythematous rash, whereas Jabs et al (5) described a polyarthritis with uveitis, without rash, but with cranial neuropathy. Early-onset sarcoidosis has been known since the 1970s, and like Blau syndrome, it is characterized by granulomatous boggy synovitis, uveitis, and rash, which is indistinguishable from Blau syndrome, albeit without a familial component (6).

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Recent evidence has linked childhood antibiotic use and microbiome disturbance to autoimmune conditions. This study tested the hypothesis that antibiotic exposure was associated with newly diagnosed juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA).