Evidence map›Paper›PMID 38092030›Full record

ArticleRheumatology (Oxford, England)2025

A potential role for chlamydial infection in rheumatoid arthritis development.

Celine Lamacchia, Romain Aymon, Brian C Hattel, Sebastien Aeby, Carole Kebbi-Beghdadi, Benoit Gilbert, Olivia Studer, Jill M Norris, V Michael Nolers, M Kristen Demoruelle and 7 more

Open access · hybridAbstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in Rheumatology (Oxford, England), 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
0.4field-weighted citation impact, top 38% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed, 2 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Review
  2. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

17 authors at 3 institutions in 2 countries.

Celine LamacchiaDivision of Rheumatology, Geneva University Hospital and Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland.ORCID 0000-0002-0291-8865
Romain AymonDivision of Rheumatology, Geneva University Hospital and Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland.
Brian C HattelDivision of Rheumatology, Department of Medicine, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA.
Sebastien AebyInstitute of Microbiology, University of Lausanne & University Hospital Center, Lausanne, Switzerland.
Carole Kebbi-BeghdadiInstitute of Microbiology, University of Lausanne & University Hospital Center, Lausanne, Switzerland.
Benoit GilbertDivision of Rheumatology, Geneva University Hospital and Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland.
Olivia StuderDivision of Rheumatology, Geneva University Hospital and Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland.
Jill M NorrisDivision of Rheumatology, Department of Medicine, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA.
V Michael NolersDivision of Rheumatology, Department of Medicine, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA.
M Kristen DemoruelleDivision of Rheumatology, Department of Medicine, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA.
Marie L FeserDivision of Rheumatology, Department of Medicine, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA.
Laura Kay MossDivision of Rheumatology, Department of Medicine, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA.
Delphine S CourvoisierDivision of Rheumatology, Geneva University Hospital and Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland.ORCID 0000-0002-1956-2607
Kim LauperDivision of Rheumatology, Geneva University Hospital and Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland.ORCID 0000-0002-4315-9009
Kevin D DeaneDivision of Rheumatology, Department of Medicine, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA.ORCID 0000-0003-2211-4861
Gilbert GreubInstitute of Microbiology, University of Lausanne & University Hospital Center, Lausanne, Switzerland.
Axel FinckhDivision of Rheumatology, Geneva University Hospital and Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland.
Colorado School of Public Health · USUniversity of Geneva · CHUniversity of Lausanne · CH

Funding

Core 2 - Mucosal Immunobiology Core (MIC)P30AR079369 · NIAMS · UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO DENVER · PI Vernon Michael Holers · 2021 to 2026
$4.7M
NIAMS NIH HHS P30 AR079369NIHSwiss National Science Foundation 3200 B0_120639Warnery Foundation and Rheumasearch Foundation
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectivesTo assess the relationship between self-reported and serological evidence of prior chlamydial infection, rheumatoid arthritis (RA)-related autoantibodies and risk of RA development.

methodsThis is a nested study within a prospective Swiss-based cohort including all first-degree relatives of RA patients (RA-FDR) who answered a questionnaire on past chlamydial infections. Primary outcome was systemic autoimmunity associated with RA (RA autoimmunity) defined as positivity for anti-citrullinated peptide antibodies (ACPA) and/or rheumatoid factor (RF). Secondary outcomes were high levels of RA autoimmunity, RA-associated symptoms and RA autoimmunity, and subsequent seropositive RA diagnosis. We conducted a nested case-control analysis by measuring the serological status against the major outer membrane protein of Chlamydia trachomatis. We replicated our analysis in an independent USA-based RA-FDR cohort.

resultsAmong 1231 RA-FDRs, 168 (13.6%) developed RA autoimmunity. Prevalence of self-reported chlamydial infection was significantly higher in individuals with RA autoimmunity compared with controls (17.9% vs 9.8%, odds ratio [OR] = 2.00; 95% CI: 1.27, 3.09; P < 0.01). This association remained significant after adjustments (OR = 1.91; 95% CI: 1.20, 2.95). Stronger effect sizes were observed in later stages of RA development. There was a similar trend between a positive C. trachomatis serology and high levels of RA autoimmunity (OR = 3.05; 95% CI: 1.10, 8.46; P = 0.032). In the replication cohort, there were significant associations between chlamydial infection and RF positivity and incident RA, but not anti-CCP positivity.

conclusionSelf-reported chlamydial infections are associated with elevated RA autoimmunity in at-risk individuals. The differing association of chlamydial infections and ACPA/RF between cohorts will need to be explored in future studies, but is consistent with a role of mucosal origin of RA-related autoimmunity.

Indexed as

Anti-Citrullinated Protein AntibodiesArthritis, RheumatoidChlamydia InfectionsChlamydia trachomatisAdultAutoantibodiesAutoimmunityCase-Control StudiesFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedProspective StudiesRheumatoid FactorSwitzerlandAnti-Citrullinated Protein AntibodiesAutoantibodiesRheumatoid FactorChlamydialeschlamydial infectionsChlamydia trachomatisfirst-degree relatives (FDR)intracellular bacteriapre-clinical stagesRA autoimmunityrheumatoid arthritis (RA)serology

Identifiers

PMID38092030
PMCPMC11701310
OpenAlexW4389680110

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.