BACKGROUND AND AIMS An association between the allele 2 of the interleukin 1 receptor antagonist gene variable number tandem repeats polymorphism in intron 2 and ulcerative colitis was first reported in 1994. Subsequent studies in Caucasian Northern European patients have not confirmed this, although trends towards an association were observed. The lack of statistical significance could reflect inadequate power. In this study the association was reassessed in a large independent set of well characterised Caucasian patients and a meta-analysis of reported patient series was performed.

PATIENTS AND METHODS A total of 320 patients with endoscopically and histologically confirmed ulcerative colitis (124 pancolitis, 196 left sided and distal disease) and 827 ethnically matched controls were genotyped at polymorphic sites in the interleukin 1 receptor antagonist gene. Carriage rates were compared using χ² statistics. A meta-analysis of this and seven previous studies in North European Caucasian patients was performed using the Mantel-Haenszel χ² test.

RESULTS Patients had a significantly increased carriage rate of allele 2 compared with controls (52% v 45%; odds ratio 1.3 (95% confidence interval (CI) 1.01–1.7); p=0.04). The allele 2 carriage rate was highest in extensive colitis (carriage rate 56%; odds ratio 1.5 (95% CI 1.1–2.3) p=0.02) and in individuals who had undergone colectomy (carriage rate 55%; odds ratio 1.5 (95% CI 0.95–2.4); p=0.08). Meta-analysis of all eight studies showed a significant association between carriage of allele 2 and ulcerative colitis (odds ratio 1.23 (95% CI 1.04–1.45); p=0.01).

CONCLUSIONS The association of the interleukin 1 receptor antagonist gene polymorphism with ulcerative colitis is confirmed. The association is minor and confers only a small risk to an individual but will contribute a high attributable risk in a population due to the high allelic frequency. Accurate phenotypic characterisation defines more homogeneous subsets of patients, such as those with extensive disease, in whom the association is greater.