Objectives: The aim of this study is to investigate whether heat shock protein 70 (Hsp70) gene polymorphisms are implicated in systemic lupus erythematous (SLE) susceptibility, the efficacy of glucocorticoids (GCs) treatment, and improvement of health-related quality of life.
Methods: A total of 499 SLE patients and 499 controls were included in a case-control study, and 468 SLE patients treated with GCs for 12 weeks were involved in a follow-up study. Patients who completed the 12-week follow-up were divided into GCs-sensitive and GCs-insensitive group by using the SLE disease activity index. The SF-36 was used to evaluate the health-related quality of life of SLE patients, and genotyping was performed by improved multiplex ligation detection reaction.
Results: rs2075800 was associated with SLE susceptibility (adjusted odds ratio [ORadj], 1.437; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.113-1.855; Padj = 0.005; PBH = 0.020 by dominant model; ORadj, 1.602; 95% CI, 1.072-2.395; Padj = 0.022; PBH = 0.029 by TT vs CC model; ORadj = 1.396; 95% CI = 1.067-1.826; Padj = 0.015; PBH = 0.029 by TC vs CC model). In the follow-up study, rs2075799 was associated with the improvement in mental health (p = 0.004, PBH = 0.044), but we failed to find any association between the efficacy of GCs and Hsp70 gene polymorphisms.
Conclusions: Hsp70 gene polymorphisms may be associated with susceptibility to SLE and improvement of mental health in Chinese Han population.