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Osteoarthritis (OA) is considered a polygenic disease controlled by the expression of genetic factors. Genes encoding for cytokines have been associated with susceptibility for joint OA and interleukin (IL)-6 gene is also supposed to be involved in the cartilage degradation process. In this case–control study, we evaluated for the first time whether the risk of hip OA might be influenced by the −174 IL-6 gene polymorphism.

The distribution of IL-6 genotypes was evaluated in 75 patients affected by hip OA and in 107 age- and sex-matched controls.

The distribution of IL-6 genotypes in (1) patients with hip OA: 33 GG, 30 GC, 12 CC and (2) control subjects: 34 GG, 40 GC, 33 CC. The frequency of the CC genotype was significantly higher in control patients (P=0.02). Logistic regression analysis indicated that the presence of the CC genotype is independently associated with a …