In line with previous reports of significant associations of genetic variants in the STAT4 gene with the risk for autoimmune diseases such as SLE, rheumatoid arthritis [23], [27], [32] and psoriasis, [23], [36] our study could identify the STAT4 SNP rs7574865 also to be associated with the susceptibility to CD. The gene discussed is STAT4; the disease is systemic lupus erythematosus.