Pilot study: Possible association of IL10 promoter polymorphisms with CRMO

摘要

Dear Sir, Chronic recurrent multifocal osteomyelitis (CRMO) is a form of non-bacterial osteitis. It has first been described in 1972 [1], and an association with pustolosis palmoplantaris [2, 3] and other autoimmune disorders, such as chronic inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), Wegener's disease, psoriasis, and Takayasu arteriitis has been discussed [3-7]. Little is known about the pathophysiology of CRMO. Several authors suggested slow-growing infectious pathogens [3], Staphylococcus epidermidis or Propionibacterium acnes [5, 8] as a potential cause. Since antibiotic agents do not influence disease progression and modern molecular techniques fail to detect infectious pathogens, these causes seem rather unlikely. Secondary to its association with other autoimmune diseases, various groups discussed an autoimmunological or pyogenic autoinflammatory cause of CRMO, and autoimmune inflammatory reactions as a response to infectious diseases [3, 9].