STAT4 and systemic sclerosis: The STAT4 rs7574865 polymorphism, located within the third intron of the gene, shows the strongest association with several autoimmune conditions [29], [30], such as SLE, RA, type 1 and 2 diabetes, systemic sclerosis, inflammatory bowel diseases, primary Sjogren's syndrome (SS), juvenile idiopathic arthritis, primary antiphospholipid syndrome, autoimmune thyroid diseases, multiple sclerosis, psoriasis, granulomatosis with polyangiitis, giant cell arteritis [31].