Glucocorticoid receptor genetic polymorphisms is associated with improvement of health-related quality of life in Chinese population with systemic lupus erythematosus.

In our previous study, we found that glucocorticoid receptor (GR) gene genetic polymorphisms may play a major role in the efficacy of glucocorticoids (GCs) in Chinese systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients. The aim of this study is to explore the association of GR gene genetic polymorphisms and improvement of health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in Chinese SLE patients treated with GCs. A total of 195 Chinese SLE patients were treated with GCs for 12 weeks. The HRQOL of patients was measured with the Medical Outcomes Study Short Form-36 (SF-36) at baseline and 12 weeks. Polymorphisms of GR gene were genotyped by using multiplex SNaPshot method. One hundred eighty-four patients (94.36 %) completed the 12-week follow-up. Twenty-three single-nucleotide polymorphisms of GR gene were genotyped. There was a significant association between rs10482672 polymorphism and improvement in physical function (P = 0.043), general health (P = 0.024), and social function (P = 0.013). The rs12656106 polymorphism was associated with improvement in the total score of SF-36 (P = 0.014), physical function (P = 0.013), general health (P = 0.010), vitality (P = 0.015), social function (P = 0.004), physical component summary (P = 0.016), and mental component summary (P = 0.014). The rs4912905 polymorphism was associated with improvement in bodily pain (P = 0.040) and general health (P = 0.038). The rs4912911 polymorphism was associated with improvement in general health (P = 0.026) and vitality (P = 0.027). The rs4986593 polymorphism was associated with improvement in bodily pain (P = 0.034). The rs7719514 polymorphism was associated with improvement in vitality (P = 0.002) and mental component summary (P = 0.041). We also found a significant association between rs9324924 polymorphism and improvement in physical function (P = 0.040), bodily pain (P = 0.007), and general health (P = 0.019). These results indicate that there may be an association of GR gene rs10482672, rs12656106, rs4912905, rs4912911, rs4986593, rs7719514, and rs9324924 polymorphisms with improvement of HRQOL in Chinese SLE patients treated with GCs.