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©2006 Baishideng Publishing Group Co., Limited. All rights reserved.
World J Gastroenterol. Jun 21, 2006; 12(23): 3668-3672
Published online Jun 21, 2006. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v12.i23.3668
Published online Jun 21, 2006. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v12.i23.3668
Family and twin studies in inflammatory bowel disease
Leena Halme, Department of Transplantation and Liver Surgery, Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, Finland
Paulina Paavola-Sakki, Kimmo Kontula, Research Program in Molecular Medicine, Biomedicum Helsinki, Department of Medicine, Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, Finland
Ulla Turunen, Department of Gastroenterology, Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, Finland
Maarit Lappalainen, Research Program in Molecular Medicine, Biomedicum Helsinki, Finland
Martti Färkkilä, Department of Gastroenterology, Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, Finland
Correspondence to: Leena Halme MD, Transplantation and Liver Surgery, Helsinki University Hospital, Box 263 FIN-00029 Helsinki, Finland. leena.halme@hus.fi
Telephone: +358-9-4711 Fax: +358-9-174975
Received: November 30, 2005
Revised: December 28, 2005
Accepted: January 14, 2006
Published online: June 21, 2006
Revised: December 28, 2005
Accepted: January 14, 2006
Published online: June 21, 2006
Abstract
Studies examining the inheritance of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) within different family groups have been the basis for recent molecular advances in the genetics of IBD. The derived heritability in Crohn’s disease (CD) is higher than in many other complex diseases. The risk of IBD is highest in first-degree relatives of a CD proband, but first-degree relatives of a proband suffering from ulcerative colitis (UC) and more distant relatives are also at increased risk. Disease concordance rates in IBD have been examined in multiplex families and in three large European twin studies.
Keywords: Crohn’s disease; Family studies; Genetics; Twin studies; Ulcerative colitis