RT Journal Article SR Electronic T1 Allelic variation at the C-reactive protein gene associates to both hand osteoarthritis severity and serum high sensitive C-reactive protein levels in the GARP study JF Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases JO Ann Rheum Dis FD BMJ Publishing Group Ltd and European League Against Rheumatism SP 877 OP 879 DO 10.1136/ard.2007.079228 VO 67 IS 6 A1 S D Bos A1 H E D Suchiman A1 M Kloppenburg A1 J J Houwing-Duistermaat A1 M P Hellio le Graverand A1 A B Seymour A1 H M Kroon A1 P E Slagboom A1 I Meulenbelt YR 2008 UL http://ard.bmj.com/content/67/6/877.abstract AB Objective: To gain more insight into the role of genetic variation of the C-reactive protein (CRP) gene in serum CRP levels and osteoarthritis (OA).Methods: Serum high sensitive CRP (S-HsCRP) levels were measured in the Genetics of osteoARthritis and Progression (GARP) study. Furthermore, to assess genetic variation of the CRP gene, genotypes of five tagging single nucleotide polymorphisms were assessed in the GARP study and a random control sample.Results: A significant and consistent relation between S-HsCRP levels and observed haplotypes was identified. Additionally, a CRP haplotype, which also associated to a significantly higher expected phenotypic mean S-HsCRP level, was associated to severe hand OA. This haplotype was tagged by a single nucleotide polymorphism (rs3091244). Carriers of this allele have an increased risk for the presence of severe hand OA with an OR of 2.3 (95% confidence interval 1.2 to 4.3, pā€Š=ā€Š0.009).Conclusions: A haplotype of the CRP gene, associated to high basal S-HsCRP level, is also associated to severity of hand OA, indicating that innate high basal S-HsCRP levels may influence OA onset.