Table 6

Gene–environment interaction between HLA-SE (none, any) and smoking status (never, past, current) in all rheumatoid arthritis (RA) groups and in groups stratified by serological status in the Nurses’ Health Studies

HLA-SESmoking statusAll RASeropositive RASeronegative RA
Cases/controlsOR* (95% CI)OR† (95% CI)Cases/controlsOR‡ (95% CI)Cases/controlsOR‡ (95% CI)
NoneNever81/1111.00 (reference)1.00 (reference)42/1111.00 (reference)39/1111.00 (reference)
NonePast92/1101.13 (0.74 to 1.73)1.03 (0.66 to 1.61)50/1101.11 (0.68 to 1.83)42/1101.05 (0.62 to 1.77)
NoneCurrent32/460.90 (0.51 to 1.59)0.90 (0.49 to 1.64)15/460.90 (0.45 to 1.81)17/461.03 (0.52 to 2.06)
AnyNever85/771.60 (1.03 to 2.49)1.67 (1.05 to 2.63)54/771.78 (1.08 to 2.95)31/111.18 (0.70 to 2.09)
AnyPast99/602.25 (1.43 to 3.52)2.23 (1.40 to 3.56)71/603.03 (1.83 to 5.03)28/601.28 (0.71 to 2.33)
AnyCurrent38/271.89 (1.03 to 3.47)1.91 (1.03 to 3.55)27/272.71 (1.41 to 5.19)11/271.10 (0.49 to 2.48)
Additive:
    AP1 (95% CI)0.23 (−0.15 to 0.61)0.24 (−0.15 to 0.63)0.38 (0.03 to 0.73)0.04 (−0.68 to 0.74)
    p For interaction0.230.220.040.91
    RERI0.52 (−0.40 to 1.44)0.54 (−0.41 to 1.48)1.14 (−0.17 to 2.44)0.06 (−1.31 to 1.08)
    Synergy index1.71 (0.54 to 5.40)1.77 (0.52 to 6.08)2.27 (0.71 to 7.27)1.24 (0.02 to 67.47)
Multiplicative:
    p For interaction0.480.410.240.93
Additive:
    AP2 (95% CI)0.21 (−0.35 to 0.77)0.18 (−0.42 to 0.78)0.38 (−0.10 to 0.85)−0.10 (−1.22 to 1.02)
    p For interaction0.470.550.120.86
    RERI0.39 (−0.80 to 1.59)0.35 (−0.91 to 1.60)1.02 (−0.66 to 2.70)−0.11 (−0.88 to 0.99)
    Synergy index1.80 (0.26 to 12.58)1.62 (0.25 to 10.36)2.49 (0.46 to 13.63)0.49 (0.00 to 2327.19)
Multiplicative:
    p For interaction0.510.580.280.85
  • *Conditional logistic regression. †Conditional logistic regression, adjusting for parity, breast feeding and menstrual irregularity, and age at menarche, menopausal status and postmenopausal hormone use at diagnosis. ‡Unconditional logistic regression adjusting for year of birth, parity, breast feeding and menstrual irregularity, and age at menarche, menopausal status and postmenopausal hormone use at blood draw and at diagnosis.

  • AP, attributable proportion due to interaction, an index of additive interactions between binary smoking variable and binary HLA-SE genotype; RERI, relative excess risk due to interaction.