Is Felty's syndrome inherited ?
Is Felty's syndrome inherited? It has not been concluded that Felty's syndrome is an inherited condition; most individuals with Felty's syndrome have not had a history of the condition in their family. However, there have been a few reports of the condition appearing to be familial. Furthermore, although the condition itself may not be inherited, some of the risk factors associated with Felty's syndrome may have genetic components. One study found that a family history of rheumatoid arthritis was more common in patients with Felty's syndrome and that there was a strong association with HLA-DR4 (an immune system gene common in individuals with RA). The authors also stated that there was an increased frequency of another gene as well, suggesting that certain other immune system genes may interact with HLA-DR4 and contribute to individuals developing Felty's syndrome. In another report, the authors described a family in which 3 siblings had Felty's syndrome. All of the siblings shared a specific haplotype (a group of immune system genes that may be inherited together). The authors stated that they believe this supports the theory that multiple genetic factors are involved in family members being predisposed to Felty's syndrome. An earlier article described a family in which the mother and 2 of her 5 children had Felty's syndrome, which suggested autosomal dominant inheritance (which has not otherwise been reported).