Involvement of immunoglobulin FcgammaRIIA and FcgammaRIIIB gene polymorphisms in susceptibility to rheumatic fever.

Objectives: To assess the impact of the human FcgammaRIIA and FcgammaRIIIB gene polymorphisms on the risk of rheumatic fever (RF).

Designs And Methods: FcgammaRIIA-R/H-131 and FcgammaRIIIB-NA1/NA2 genotypes were determined using polymerase chain reaction in 66 RF cases and 117 healthy controls in this case control study.

Results: Compared with healthy controls, the RR genotype was enriched in the entire group of RF cases (odds ratio [OR] 4.98, 95% confidence interval [95% CI] 1.81-13.70). RF patients were more frequently HR heterozygotes rather than HH homozygotes (OR 3.09 vs. 0.11). The results of this study show that patients who have RF are more likely to have the RR and HR genotypes than control children. These probabilities show that RR is associated with the greatest risk for rheumatic fever and HR is associated with an intermediate risk. For the distribution of FcgammaRIIIB NA2 genotypes, a nonsignificant increase was found in RF patients (39.31% vs. 51.51%; OR 1.64, P = 0.1226).

Conclusion: The FcgammaRIIA-R/H-131 polymorphism may be an important marker in determining predisposition to RF.