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Abstract

Title: Patterns of autoimmunity and subsequent chronic lymphocytic leukemia in nordic countries.
Author: Landgren O, Engels E, Caporaso NE, Gridley G, Mellemkjaer L, Hemminki K, Linet MS, Goldin LR
Journal: Blood 108:292-296
Year: 2006
Month: March

Abstract: A population-based case-control study was conducted to evaluate risk of developing chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) associated with personal and/or family history of autoimmune and related diseases. Data were obtained for all (n=7,764) CLL cases diagnosed in Sweden and Denmark over a 40-year period and with linkable relatives, 16,658 matched controls, and first-degree relatives of cases (n=17,991) and controls (n=39,388). Odds ratios (ORs) were calculated to quantify risk of CLL in relation to personal/family history of 32 autoimmune and related disorders. The risk of CLL was significantly increased among subjects with a personal history of pernicious anemia (OR=1.94;1.18-3.18), mainly in the 0-1 years latency period. A significantly decreased risk of CLL was found among individuals with a personal history of chronic rheumatic heart disease (OR=0.55;0.33-0.93), particularly persons with a long latency (10+ years) between the two conditions. We found no association between personal or familial occurrence of other autoimmune or related disorders and CLL. If our results are confirmed, mechanistic studies examining how pernicious anemia might promote increased occurrence of CLL and how chronic rheumatic heart disease protects against CLL, perhaps related to long-term antibiotics use, may provide insights to the as yet unknown etiology of CLL.