Predictive risk factors before the onset of familial rheumatoid arthritis: the Tatarstan cohort study

Marina I Arleevskaya; Regina V Larionova; Elena I Shagimardanova; Natalia E Gogoleva; Olga A Kravtsova; Andrej A Novikov; Gevorg G Kazarian; Caroline Carlé; Yves Renaudineau

doi:10.3389/fmed.2023.1227786

Predictive risk factors before the onset of familial rheumatoid arthritis: the Tatarstan cohort study

Front Med (Lausanne). 2023 Oct 9:10:1227786. doi: 10.3389/fmed.2023.1227786. eCollection 2023.

Authors

Marina I Arleevskaya^{1

2}, Regina V Larionova^{1

2}, Elena I Shagimardanova², Natalia E Gogoleva², Olga A Kravtsova², Andrej A Novikov^{3

4

5}, Gevorg G Kazarian¹, Caroline Carlé^{4

5}, Yves Renaudineau^{4

5}

Affiliations

¹ Central Research Laboratory, Kazan State Medical Academy, Kazan, Russia.
² Institute of Fundamental Medicine and Biology, Kazan (Volga Region) Federal University, Kazan, Russia.
³ Innovation Department, Sobolev Institute of Mathematics, Siberian Brunch of Russian Academy of Science, Novosibirsk, Russia.
⁴ Immunology Department Laboratory, Institut Fédératif de Biologie, Toulouse University Hospital Center, Toulouse, France.
⁵ INFINITy, Toulouse Institute for Infectious and Inflammatory Diseases, INSERM U1291, CNRS U5051, University Toulouse III, Toulouse, France.

Abstract

Background: A familial history of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) predisposes an individual to develop RA. This study aimed at investigating factors associated with this conversion from the Tatarstan cohort.

Methods: A total of 144 individuals, referred to as pre-RA and at risk for familial RA, were selected 2 years (range: 2-21 years) before conversion to RA and compared to non-converted 328 first-degree relatives (FDR) from RA as assessed after ≥2 years follow-up, and 355 healthy controls were also selected (HC). Preclinical parameters and socio-demographic/individual/HLA genetic factors were analyzed when data were available at the time of enrollment.

Results: As compared to FDR and HC groups, pre-RA individuals were characterized before conversion to RA by the presence of arthralgia, severe morning symptoms, a lower educational level, and rural location. An association with the HLA-DRB1 SE risk factor was also retrieved with symmetrical arthralgia and passive smoking. On the contrary, alcohol consumption and childlessness in women were protective and associated with the HLA-DRB1^*07:01 locus.

Conclusion: Before RA onset, a combination of individual and genetic factors characterized those who are at risk of progressing to RA among those with familial RA relatives.

Keywords: childless; familial rheumatoid arthritis; low education; risk factors; shared epitope; symmetrical arthralgia.

Grants and funding

This study was supported by research funding from the Russian Foundation for Basic Research (No. 20-515-05006), the French Society of Rheumatology, and the Association National de Défense contre l'Arthrite Rhumatoïde (SFR/ANDAR price 2023).