The −174G allele of the interleukin‐6 gene confers susceptibility to systemic arthritis in children: A multicenter study using simplex and multiplex juvenile idiopathic arthritis families

Abstract

This study confirms that the IL-6 -174 nucleotide variant is significantly associated with systemic JIA. The significant excess transmission to patients with age at onset >5 years but not to those with age at onset < or =5 years suggests that there may be genetic heterogeneity between the 2 groups.