Hemminki K, Li X, Sundquist K et al. Am J Gastroenterol 2010;105:139–47.
Using a Swedish Multigeneration Register and linkage to a Hospital Discharge Register available in Sweden, the present investigators analyzed the associations of ulcerative colitis (UC) and Crohn’s disease with 32 other autoimmune and related diseases among parents and offspring, singleton siblings, twins, and spouses. Data for the period 1964–2004 were analyzed. The data show a familial risk for UC and Crohn’s disease for many types of family relationships, as well as associations with several other autoimmune diseases, which is suggestive of genetic sharing.
The inflammatory bowel diseases, Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis (UC), are thought to be mediated by a complex interaction between environmental, genetic, and immunoregulatory factors. Family history is a risk factor for both diseases although the familial risk is lower for UC than for Crohn’s disease. Crohn’s disease and UC additionally show familial clustering with other autoimmune diseases. In this study, the authors aimed to estimate the association of UC and Crohn’s disease with autoimmune and related diseases among parents and offspring, singleton siblings, twins, and spouses.