Interstitial Cystitis in Swedish Twins

描述（由申请人提供）： 本提案的首要目的是使用来自一项大型基于人群的经典双胞胎研究的多变量数据来解决一系列关于间质性膀胱炎（IC）病因的关键问题。尽管正在进行研究，IC仍然是一个有争议的实体，有两个关键原因。首先，案例定义的有效性仍然不确定。很少有数据能够解决一个历史上重要的验证者--遗传和/或环境因素导致IC的程度。其次，IC通常与一种或多种其他身体疾病共病，但共病的原因尚不确定。总的来说，这两组未回答的问题大大有助于继续围绕IC的争议。此外，IC的强大女性优势已被充分记录，但没有得到很好的理解。 为了解决这些基本问题，我们建议在以人口为基础的瑞典双胞胎登记处（STR）进行IC的双胞胎研究。我们建议使用基于网络的筛查工具评估18-45岁STR双胞胎队列中的IC。未参加网络评估的人员将接受计算机辅助电话面试。根据以往的经验，我们预计在这一队列的50，011人中，75%或37，500人将作出反应。这些独特的数据将用于解决以下特定目的：（1）估计STR参与者中IC及其关键合并症的患病率。评估IC与其他疾病共病的表型模式。(2)通过一致性和结构方程模型评估IC变异的遗传和环境来源。研究性别对这些影响的影响。(3)采用多变量双生子分析探讨IC与其常见共病之间的协变来源;（4）采用外部对照和内部对照的病例对照设计（“共双生子对照”设计）评价可能推断疾病风险的暴露的重要性。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The overarching purpose of this proposal is to address a set of critical questions about the etiology of interstitial cystitis (IC) using multivariate data from a large population-based classical twin study. Despite ongoing research, IC remains a controversial entity for two critical reasons. First, the validity of the case definition remains uncertain. There are few data that address a historically important validator--the degree to which IC results from genetic and/or environmental factors. Second, IC is often comorbid with one or more additional physical disorders and yet the causes of comorbidity are uncertain. Taken together, these two sets of unanswered questions contribute significantly to the controversies that continue to surround IC. Moreover, the strong female predominance of IC has been amply documented but is not well understood. To address these fundamental issues, we propose to conduct a twin study of IC in the population-based Swedish Twin Registry (STR). We propose to assess IC in the cohort of STR twins aged 18-45 years using a web-based screening instrument. Those not participating in the web-based assessment will be offered a computer assisted telephone interview. Based on previous experience, we anticipate that of the 50,011 individuals in this cohort, 75% or 37,500 will respond. These unique data will be used to address the following Specific Aims: (1) To estimate the prevalence of IC and its key co-morbidities in STR participants. To assess the phenotypic patterns of comorbidity of IC with other disorders. (2) To evaluate the genetic and environmental sources of variation for IC through concordances and structural equation modeling. To examine the effects of gender on these effects. (3) To use multivariate twin analyses to investigate the sources of covariation between IC and its frequently co-morbid conditions and (4) To use case-control designs with external controls and internal controls ("co-twin control" design) to evaluate the importance of exposures which may infer risk for disease.