Background. In independent linkage studies chromosome 2q11-q24 and chromoso
me 2q23-35 have previously been implicated as regions potentially harbourin
g susceptibility loci for osteoarthritis (OA),
Objective. To test chromosome 2q for linkage to idiopathic osteoarthritis.
Methods. Using a cohort of 481 OA families that each contained at least one
affected sibling pair with severe end-stage disease (ascertained by hip or
knee joint replacement surgery), we conducted a linkage analysis of chromo
some 2q using 16 polymorphic microsatellite markers at an average spacing o
f one marker every 8.5 cM.
Results. Our results provide suggestive evidence for a locus at 2q31 with a
maximum multipoint logarithm of the odds score (MLS) of 1.22 which increas
ed to 2.19 in those families concordant for hip-only disease (n = 311). Thi
s suggestive linkage was greater in male-hip families (MLS = 1.57, n = 71)
than in female-hip families (MLS = 0.71, n = 132).
Conclusions. Chromosome 2q is likely to contain at least one susceptibility
locus for OA.