Increased IL-1β, locally or systemic, has been linked to a number of human hereditary or acquired diseases, and antagonists of IL-1β or its receptor are increasingly being used successfully for treatments for a number of these inflammatory diseases such as cryopyrin-associated periodic syndromes (CAPS), gout, atherosclerosis, type II diabetes and even in Kawasaki disease vasculitis (KD)1, 2. The gene discussed is IL1B; the disease is type 2 diabetes mellitus.