Show Arthritis Inherited Relatives of oi patients with ar arthritis arthritis arthritis ar- ar often go to their doctors with rather minor complaints because be- be cause they are fearful of developing develop develop- ing the same trouble and want to know their chances of becoming crippled and disabled IN MOST MOOT instances the doctor can be reassuring because the tle inheritance of f a tendency to ar arthritis arthritis ar- ar like that of high blood pressure or stomach ulcers and many other prevalent diseases is of a low order Nevertheless ar arthritis arthritis arthritis ar- ar does run in families some kinds more than others exposing apparently healthy relatives relatives relatives rela rela- tives to the omnipresent risk of its its' development Hereditary mechanisms in ar arthritis arthritis ax- ax are perhaps best known in gout a form of arthritis featured by exquisitely painful and swollen joints which sometimes become chronically deformed Relatives often suffer suller from the same affliction affliction afflic afflic- tion and even more frequently from the poorly understood biochemical biochemical biochemical bio bio- chemical fault which leads to Increased in increased In- In creased stores of uric acid Inthe in inthe inthe the body and is primarily re xe- xe for the acute attacks of gout or gouty arthritis SIMILARLY Y spon- spon a disease which stiffens and deforms the spine attacks close relatives 20 times as frequently frequently frequently fre fre- as members of the genera general general gen gen- era eral population The familiar oc occurrence occurrence occurrence oc- oc currence of rheumatoid arthritis the most prevalent and crippling of all Pall rheumatic diseases is not as pronounced and is only four to five times that in the general population In addition a number of apparently apparently healthy re relatives vest about 15 contain in their blood the anti anti- like body-like substance known as rheumatoid factor w which hie h has some strange connection with the disease M MOREOVER relatives of pa patients patients patients pa- pa with rheumatoid arthritis show an increased tendency to contract other kinds of connective connective connective tive tissue disorders such as disseminated lupus us which are less common but even more serious but obviously linked in some mysterious way Even the relatives of patients with rheumatic fever are more susceptible to it than unrelated individuals suggesting an au InherIted inherited inherited predisposition to the disease Thus it is clear tance has a lot to do with the thee the development of arthritis but how Recent developments in medical genetics expanding at ata ata ata a rapid rate are yielding a clearer clear clear- er picture of the relationship It is now known and only since 1956 that each body cell contains 46 chromosomes rod-like rod structures structures structures tures packed with genes which singly or in combination account for all inherited characteristics BY SPECIAL techniques which interestingly make use of a drug long used to treat acute gout it is possible to see seethe seethe seethe the size and shape and count the number of chromosomes pres pres- ent Abnormal chromosomes are being found in a growing number of diseases none so far having much to do with arthritis Gene Geneticists are now trying hard to carry their studies of chromosomes chromosomes chromo chromo- somes one step further and ac actually actually actually ac- ac map the location of spec specific ifIe if- if ic Ie genes on each of the chromo chromo- somes So far it has not been possible even with specialized techniques to see seethe seethe seethe the genes but all sorts of biochemical biochemical bio blo- chemical differences are being found in apparently healthy people people peo peo- pIe which when traced through families have been shown to be be genetically controlled In these situations as in arthritis it is the tendency to the diseases which is inherited the development development development develop develop- ment of disease re requires requires xe- xe quires exposure to a combination combination combination tion of stressful circumstances which may include injury Infection in infection infection In- In or worry ALREADY with some diseases it has become possible to identify fy ty with certainty the prospect of ofa a given individual to develop the disease and depending upon the nature of genetic defect to prescribe pre scribe more or less specific measures to deal with it It It is isto isto isto to be hoped indeed expected that in the near future some forms of arthritis will become amenable to these kinds of in investigation investigation investigation in- in and treatment |