Autoimmune disease in first-degree relatives of patients with multiple sclerosis

Abstract

Previous studies examining an association with other autoimmune diseases have suggested the existence of a generalized autoimmune diathesis in patients with multiple sclerosis. We investigated the prevalence of autoimmune disease in first-degree relatives of probands with multiple sclerosis using a case-control method. The results show an excess of autoimmune disease within these families, but no significant association was seen with non-autoimmune diseases. The higher risk in multiplex than simplex families suggests an effect of genetic loading. While the increase in risk applies to each autoimmune disease, autoimmune thyroid disease (and Graves' disease in particular) contributes disproportionately to the excess risk. There was no increase in autoimmune disease within patients with multiple sclerosis themselves when compared with the index controls or population data. We conclude that autoimmune disease is more common in first-degree relatives of patients with multiple sclerosis and hypothesize that common genetic susceptibility factors for autoimmunity co-exist with additional disease specific genetic or environmental factors, which determine clinical phenotype in the individual.

A genome screen for linkage in Australian sibling-pairs with multiple sclerosis

“…22 A number of investigators have suggested that some genetic factors influence susceptibility to a general autoimmune disease diathesis against which background additional genes determine which autoimmune condition develops. Studies showing increased prevalence of autoimmunity in first-degree relatives of multiple sclerosis patients 23 and a higher than expected concordance of linkage results across genome screens from different autoimmune diseases 24 support this hypothesis. A number of regions identified in our study overlap with those found in other autoimmune disease linkage screens.…”

Familial Autoimmune Thyroid Disease as a Risk Factor for Regression in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder: A CPEA Study

“…We did not find associations with any other specific autoimmune disorders, but even with an estimated 3100 total relatives in this study, we may not have had sufficient power to detect differences in the less common autoimmune disorders. The reports of an increased prevalence of AITD and other immune disorders among relatives of patients with rheumatoid arthritis (Walker, Griffiths, & Griffiths, 1986), Type I Diabetes (Payami, Joe, & Thomson, 1989), idiopathic inflammatory myopathy (Ginn et al, 1998), multiple sclerosis (Broadley, Deans Sawcer, Clayton, & Compston, 2000) and JRA (Prahalad, Shear, Thompson, Giannini, & Glass, 2002) have been interpreted as evidence for a common polygenic risk factor that confers susceptibility to autoimmunity (Ginn et al, 1998).…”

National Psoriasis Foundation clinical consensus on psoriasis comorbidities and recommendations for screening

“…143 Two studies have shown that psoriasis is more common in MS families than in controls. 129,130 Families with more than one case of MS had even higher odds of having psoriasis. Interestingly, while both are characterized by a Th-1 cytokine profile, MS appears to be exacerbated by TNF-alpha inhibition, an approach that is extremely effective in the treatment of psoriasis.…”

“…127 In addition to psoriatic arthritis, specific reports include an association of psoriasis with Crohn's disease. [128][129][130] In a series of case-control studies, 7-11% of those with Crohn's disease were diagnosed with psoriasis compared to 1-2% of controls. [131][132][133] Relatives of subjects diagnosed with either Crohn's or psoriasis also have been shown to have an increased incidence of having the other disease.…”