Some of these abnormalities have been shown to be associated with relapse following disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drug (DMARD)-induced remission [12], predict safe discontinuation of a therapeutic anti-tumour necrosis factor (TNF) agent [13] and more recently predict methotrexate (MTX)-induced remission in early RA [14] as well as progression towards RA in anti-citrullinated protein antibody-positive (ACPA+) at risk individuals (unpublished observation presented at the European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR) Congress 2013 and the European Workshop for Rheumatology Research (EWRR) 2014). This evidence concerns the gene TNF and rheumatoid arthritis.