The genetic influence on radiographic osteoarthritis is site specific at the hand, hip and knee

• Published in: Rheumatology (Oxford, England) Vol. 48; no. 3; pp. 277 - 280
• Main Authors: MacGregor, A. J., Li, Q., Spector, T. D., Williams, F. M. K.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Oxford University Press 01.03.2009; Oxford Publishing Limited (England)
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Biological and medical sciences; Clinical; Diseases in Twins - diagnostic imaging; Diseases in Twins - genetics; Diseases of the osteoarticular system; Female; Genetic association; Genetic Linkage; Genetic Predisposition to Disease; Hand; Hand Joints - diagnostic imaging; Hip; Humans; Knee; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Miscellaneous. Osteoarticular involvement in other diseases; Osteoarthritis; Osteoarthritis - diagnostic imaging; Osteoarthritis - genetics; Osteoarthritis - pathology; Osteoarthritis, Hip - diagnostic imaging; Osteoarthritis, Hip - genetics; Osteoarthritis, Knee - diagnostic imaging; Osteoarthritis, Knee - genetics; Phenotype; Radiography; Site; Structural equation modelling; Twin; Twins, Dizygotic - genetics; Twins, Monozygotic - genetics; Young Adult; Site; Knee; Structural equation modelling; Genetic linkage; Genetic association; Osteoarthritis; Hand; Hip; Twin; Radiodiagnosis; Diseases of the osteoarticular system; Rheumatology; Exploration; Genetic determinism; Modeling; Radiography; Arthropathy; Genetics; Degenerative disease
• ISSN: 1462-0324; 1462-0332
• DOI: 10.1093/rheumatology/ken475

Objective. To identify whether a shared genetic influence accounts for the occurrence of OA at different skeletal sites. Methods. Multivariate modelling of data on prevalent radiographic OA at the hand (DIP, PIP and CMC joints), hip and knee joints assessed in 992 monozygotic and dizygotic female twin participants from the TwinsUK Registry. Results. OA at all the five joint sites was heritable. Genetic influences were strongly correlated among joints in the hand; however, there was little evidence of common genetic pathways to account for the co-occurrence of OA at the hand, hip and knee. Conclusions. While genetic influences are important in explaining the variation in occurrence of OA at the hand, hip and knee, there is no evidence that common or shared genetic factors determine the occurrence of disease across all these skeletal sites. The findings suggest that there are important aetiological differences in the disease that are site-specific in women. These results have implications for the design of studies examining the genetic basis of OA as well as for strategies aimed at preventing and treating the disease.