Genetic background may contribute to the latitude-dependent prevalence of dermatomyositis and anti-TIF1-γ autoantibodies in adult patients with myositis

摘要

BackgroundThe prevalence of dermatomyositis (DM) versus DM and polymyositis (PM) combined has been shown to be negatively associated with latitude. This observation has been attributed to increasing exposure to ultraviolet (UV) light towards the equator. In this study, we investigated whether differing genetic background in populations could contribute to this distribution of DM.