Abstract
Crohn’s disease (CD) is a rare inflammatory bowel disease that negatively impacts the lining of the digestive tract, while Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disorder wherein the body attacks healthy cells, also causing inflammation. The primary cause of inflammation in both diseases is an overactive immune response, but patients who are diagnosed with RA are typically prescribed nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, which is not a suggested method for treating CD. Here we do a literature survey through PubMed to uncover genetic variants common to both diseases and highlighted four shared genes: HLA-DRB1, NOD2, CARD9, and CXCL10. We then examined these genes within ClinVar, the clinical variance database and documented associated pathogenicity with Single Nucleotide Polymorphism (SNPs) within each gene. Last, we utilized the All of Us (AoU) database, a public health research database with upwards of one million volunteers that includes genetic and disease information, in order to better understand which individuals are at risk of co-occurrence. We found that 251 individuals had a co-occurrence of CD and RA in this database and documented the demographic breakdown of these individuals. In the future, we will examine the correlation between these two diseases using patient information and metrics including physical therapy, joint pain, diet, and exercise along with SNP data.
Recommended Citation
Korisapati, Vamsi; Asad, Karam; and Ozga, Andrew T.
(2024)
"Exploring Genetic Elements Related to the Co-occurrence of Crohn’s Disease and Rheumatoid Arthritis,"
Mako: NSU Undergraduate Student Journal: Vol. 2024, Article 3.
Available at:
https://nsuworks.nova.edu/mako/vol2024/iss2/3