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Infectious diseases, such as Helicobacter pylori, which produce systemic inflammation may be one key factor in the onset of autoimmunity. The association between H. pylori and antinuclear antibodies (ANA), a marker of autoimmunity, has been understudied. Data from the 1999–2000 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey were used to evaluate the cross-sectional association between H. pylori seroprevalence and ANA positivity in US adults aged ≥20 years. ANA was measured in a 1:80 dilution of sera by indirect immunofluorescence using HEp-2 cells (positive ⩾3). H. pylori immunoglobulin G enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays were used to categorise individuals as seropositive or seronegative. H. pylori seropositivity and ANA positivity were common in the adult US population, with estimated prevalences of 33.3% and 9.9%, respectively. Both were associated with increasing age. H. pylori seropositivity was associated with higher odds of ANA (prevalence odds ratio = 1.89, 95% confidence interval = 1.08–3.33), adjusted for age, sex, race/ethnicity, educational attainment and body mass index. H. pylori infection may be one key factor in the loss of self-tolerance, contributing to immune dysfunction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Past studies have reported associations between pesticide exposure and the risk of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Residential pesticide exposure has been less well studied than agricultural exposure. The purpose of this study was to assess SLE risk associated with residential pesticide exposure in an urban population of predominantly African-American women. Methods: Adult women with SLE were identified from six hospital databases and community screening in three neighborhoods in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. Controls were adult women volunteers from the same neighborhoods who were screened for the absence of connective tissue disease and anti-nuclear antibodies. Subjects were considered exposed to pesticides if they had ever had an exterminator for an ant, cockroach, or termite problem prior to SLE diagnosis or corresponding reference age in controls. Risks associated with pesticide exposure were analyzed using multivariable logistic regression models, adjusted for sociodemographic factors. Results: We identified 93 SLE subjects and 170 controls with similar baseline characteristics. Eighty-three per cent were African-American. Pesticide exposure was associated with SLE, after controlling for potential confounders (odds ratio 2.24, 95% confidence interval 1.28–3.93). Conclusion: Residential exposure to pesticides in an urban population of predominantly African-American women was associated with increased SLE risk. Additional studies are needed to corroborate these findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

C-reactive protein (CRP), a biomarker of inflammation, has been associated with increased disease activity in rheumatoid arthritis. However, the association in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) remains unclear. We examined the association of CRP with self-reported disease activity in the Carolina Lupus Study and described differences by sociodemographic characteristics. The study included baseline and three-year follow-up data on 107 African-American and 69 Caucasian SLE patients enrolled at a median 13 months since diagnosis. Models estimated prevalence differences in the association of baseline CRP with self-reported flares, adjusting for age, sex, race and education. Active disease or flare was reported by 59% at baseline and 58% at follow-up. Higher CRP (>10 µg/ml vs. <3 µg/ml) was associated with a 17% (95% confidence interval (CI): −20, 53%) higher prevalence of flare at baseline and a 26% (95% CI: −9, 62%) higher prevalence of flare at follow-up. These CRP–flare associations were notably stronger in patients with lower education at baseline and in African-Americans at follow-up. These findings suggest that CRP may be a useful marker in studies of SLE health disparities. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Objectives To examine the association of employment and work schedule with shorter DNA telomeres, a marker of cellular ageing and disease risk factor, and consider whether differences were related to health, behaviours and sociodemographic factors, or varied by stress levels or menopausal status. Methods This cross-sectional analysis of 608 women aged 35-74 in the Sister Study examined determinants of relative telomere length (rTL) measured by quantitative PCR in leucocyte DNA. Age-adjusted regression models estimated base pair (bp) rTL differences for current and lifetime schedule characteristics (ie, part-time, full-time or overtime hours; multiple jobs; irregular hours; shiftwork; work at night). Covariates included race, smoking, perceived stress, sleep, physical activity, health and menopausal status, education, marital status, live births, children under 18, measured body mass index and urinary stress hormones. Results Compared with non-employed women with moderate or substantial past work histories (n=190), those currently working full-time (n=247; median 40 h/week) had a shorter rTL, an age-adjusted difference of -329 bp (95% CI -110 to -548). Longer-duration full-time work was also associated with shorter rTL (age-adjusted difference of -472 bp, 95% CI -786 to -158 for 20+ vs 1-5 years). Findings were not explained by health and demographic covariates. However, rTL differences for working at least full-time were greater in women with higher stress and epinephrine levels. Conclusions Current and long-term full-time work were associated with shorter rTL, with differences of similar magnitude to smoking and history of heart disease or diabetes. Longitudinal data with specific stress measures are needed to further evaluate the impact of work schedule on rTL. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Elevated serum IgE has been described in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), but associations with disease risk and characteristics remain unresolved. We assessed total serum IgE levels and atopy (IgE > 100 IU/ml) in recently diagnosed SLE patients (n = 228) compared with population controls (n = 293) and in relation to disease activity, autoantibodies, clinical features, total immunoglobulins, C-reactive protein, and allergy history. Multivariate models estimated determinants of IgE and atopy in patients and controls, and associations of SLE with allergy and atopy. Total IgE levels were higher in patients than controls (median = 42 vs. 29 IU/ml); 32% of patients and 25% of controls were atopic (p = 0.06). IgE levels were significantly higher in non-Whites and patients reporting childhood onset (<18 years) asthma and hives, and in controls reporting childhood asthma, hay fever, eczema, and adult onset hives. After accounting for racial differences, atopy was not associated with SLE, nephritis, or other clinical and laboratory parameters. In sum, our findings provide limited evidence of a direct association between total serum IgE and SLE overall or with other disease characteristics after adjusting for demographic characteristics and allergy history. Future studies may want to explore potentially shared risk factors for development of allergy, atopy, and SLE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Organic dust exposure can influence the development and symptoms of immune-related diseases such as atopy and asthma, but has rarely been examined in relation to systemic autoimmunity. The present analyses explore the association of lifetime farm and occupational organic dust exposures with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) in recently diagnosed patients (n = 265) compared with controls (n = 355) frequency matched by age, sex and state. Questionnaire data included childhood farm residence, childhood and adult experience with specific crops, and adult work in textiles, hog or poultry processing and paper or furniture manufacture. Adjusted odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (Cl) were estimated by logistic regression models including age, sex, state, race, education and silica exposure. Overall childhood or adult farm contact and childhood farm residence were not associated with SLE. Farm contact with livestock was inversely associated with SLE(OR = 0.55, 95% Cl 0.35, 0.88). This effect was most pronounced among those with childhood farm residence and both childhood and adult livestock exposure (OR = 0.19; 95% Cl 0.06, 0.63), but was difficult to separate from adult exposure to grains or corn. Other adult occupational exposures were not associated with SLE risk overall, regardless of childhood farm residence or livestock exposure, although an inverse association was seen among non-smokers (OR = 0.59; 95% Cl 0.33, 1.1), particularly for textile work (OR = 0.34; 95% CI 0.19, 0.64). These exploratory findings support the development of studies to specifically investigate the effects of organic dust exposure on SLE risk, with particular attention to exposure assessment and characterization of demographics, smoking and other occupational exposures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Epidemiologic and experimental research suggests a potential role of occupational exposures in the development of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). A plausible association has been identified in studies of occupational silica exposure and SLE, complemented by experimental studies in lupus-prone mice exploring potential mechanisms related to apoptosis and immune dysregulation. Experimental studies of the solvent trichloroethylene in lupus-prone mice provide evidence of effects on immune function, including increased production of autoantibodies and activation of CD4 T cells. However, few studies of occupational solvent exposure and SLE have been conducted, and those that are available show little evidence of an association. There is some suggestion from the available studies of the potential influence of pesticides on SLE, but as with solvents, the specific type of pesticides that may be implicated is not known. Our understanding of the role of occupational exposures in SLE could be advanced by the development of larger, multisite or parallel studies that utilize similar questionnaire and exposure evaluation methods. Multiple studies using comparable exposure measures are needed to provide sufficient sample size for examining gene–environment interactions. We provide a general overview of data requirements and methods available for the assessment and evaluation of occupational exposures in clinical and populationbased studies of SLE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]