The main aim of this study is to identify genetic markers (at DNA and RNA level) which are involved in the response to treatment with monoclonal antibodies against TNF in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) is a severe inflammatory disease and genetic factors are known to play an important role in its pathogenesis. Genetic factors are also involved in determining the prognosis of RA. Identifying the genetic factors that predispose to mild or aggressive RA is not easy and up to now only a few of these factors -like certain HLA-DR species- are known.

The Rheumatology department of the Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre (RUNMC) has collected a unique inception cohort of over 500 patients with RA, that have been followed from an early stage of disease for up to 10 years with detailed measurements of disease activity, joint damage and other characteristics of disease progression.

In this project we use this patient group to study polymorphisms in a large battery of genes for their effect on RA disease activity/progression.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Patients with RA according to the ACR criteria who are treated with monoclonal anti-TNF antibodies.

Exclusion Criteria:

Patients with RA according to the ACR criteria who are treated with monoclonal anti-TNF antibodies.