Genetic associations of FCRL3 polymorphisms with the susceptibility of Graves ophthalmopathy in a Chinese population.

BACKGROUND: Graves ophthalmopathy (GO) is a form of autoimmune thyroid disease commonly found in approximately 25-50% patients with Graves' disease. Both the thyroid-specific genes and immune-modulating genes are involved in susceptibility to GO. However, even though FCRL3 polymorphisms were also autoimmune-associated genes, no study has been performed regarding the association of FCRL3 with GO. Therefore, the objective of the current study was to conduct a basic case-control study in a Chinese population.

METHODS AND MATERIALS: Seven SNPs were selected in this case-control study and 577 GD patients and 608 controls were recruited. Odds ratio and 95% confidence interval were used to assess the association between susceptibility of GO and FCRL3 polymorphisms with Stata software (Version 11.0, Stata Corp LP, USA).

RESULTS: The case-control analysis showed that three polymorphisms, FCRL3_3C, FCRL3_5C, FCRL3_6A, were significantly associated with raised risk of GO in a Chinese Han population in the allelic model [OR = 1.28, 95% CI: 1.09-1.51, P = 0.003; OR = 1.26, 95% CI: 1.07-1.48, P = 0.005; OR = 1.25, 95% CI: 1.06-1.47, P = 0.007].

CONCLUSIONS: This case-control analysis confirmed that the FCRL3_3, FCRL3_5 and FCRL3_6 polymorphisms were associated with significantly increased risk of GO in a Chinese population.