For TNF, we examined 3 promoter SNPs: −308G>A (rs1800629), −238G>A (rs361525), and −555G>A (rs1800750) (5,6); we were unable to infer TNF haplotypes. For MBL2, we examined 5 SNPS, 3 in the coding region of exon 1 and 2 in the promoter region. The 3 structural SNPs in MBL2 that we examined encode variant alleles known as D (codon 52, rs5030737), B (codon 54, rs1800450), and C (codon 57, rs1800451); the wild-type is A (7, 8) . These variants are typically pooled and designated as the O allele. The MBL2 genotype A/A refers to wild-type homozygotes, A/O refers to heterozygotes, and O/O refers to homozygotes or compound heterozygotes. Promoter polymorphisms at positions −550 (H/L variant, rs11003125) and −221 (X/Y variant, rs7096206) encode variants that mediate MBL2 expression. Case-patients were classifi ed as low, intermediate, or high producers of MBL on the basis of their structural and promoter variants (referred to as a "truncated haplotype") (7). Case-patients homozygous or compound heterozygous for any of the 3 variant structural alleles and case-patients with a variant structural allele on 1 chromosome and the X variant on the other were categorized as low MBL producers. Case-patients homozygous for the wild-type structural allele were categorized as high MBL producers except for those also homozygous for the X variant, who were classifi ed as intermediate MBL producers on the basis of evidence that possession of the X/X promoter genotype signifi cantly down-regulates MBL production (9) . Case-patients with the YA/O genotype were classifi ed as intermediate MBL producers on the basis of analyses indicating that this genotype confers intermediate levels of functional MBL (9) . For some analyses, the intermediate and high producers were combined into 1 group and compared with MBL low-producers.