Role of STAT4 polymorphisms in systemic lupus erythematosus in a Japanese population: a case-control association study of the STAT1-STAT4region

Table 4 Association of STAT4 rs7574865 with characteristics of systemic lupus erythematosus such as nephritis, age of onset, and anti-double-stranded-DNA antibodies

	T allele		P value	Odds ratio (95% CI)
	Number	Frequency
Case subgroup versus healthy controls
Nephritis
Present (n = 165)	159	48.2%	1.0 × 10^-5	1.85 (1.41–2.42)
Absent (n = 138)	121	43.8%	0.0031	1.55 (1.16–2.07)
Anti-double-stranded DNA antibodies
Present (n = 130)	125	48.1%	4.9 × 10^-5	1.84 (1.37–2.47)
Absent (n = 34)	24	35.3%	NS	1.08 (0.64–1.83)
Age of onset
<20 years (n = 86)	83	48.3%	3.9 × 10^-4	1.85 (1.32–2.60)
≥20 years (n = 198)	180	45.5%	1.4 × 10^-4	1.65 (1.28–2.14)
Healthy controls (n = 306)	205	33.5%
Case-only (present versus absent or <20 versus ≥ 20 years)
Nephritis			NS	1.19 (0.86–1.64)
Anti-double-stranded DNA antibodies			NS	1.70 (0.98–2.95)
Age of onset			NS	1.12 (0.78–1.60)

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients were stratified into subgroups according to the presence or absence of nephritis, anti-double-stranded DNA (anti-dsDNA) antibodies, and age of onset (<20 or ≥ 20 years). Allele frequencies were compared between each SLE subgroup and healthy controls as well as between SLE subgroups (case-only analysis, nephritis present versus absent, anti-dsDNA antibodies present versus absent, and age of onset <20 versus ≥ 20 years). CI, confidence interval; NS, not significant; STAT, signal transducers and activators of transcription.

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