title: Association between HLA-DR antigens and rheumatoid arthritis in Arabs.
abstract: Eighty five Arab patients with classical and definite rheumatoid arthritis were typed to determine the prevalence of HLA A, B, C, and DR antigens. A significant increase in the prevalence of HLA-A10, B8, B21, and DR3 was found in comparison with a control population matched for age and sex. HLA-DR5 was significantly decreased in the patient group. The classical association of HLA-DR4 with rheumatoid arthritis could not be confirmed in the Arab patients resident in Kuwait, supporting reported observations in different ethnic groups of associations with HLA antigens other than HLA-DR4 and indicating a heterogeneous genetic susceptibility to rheumatoid arthritis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Kuwait University, Safat, Arabian Gulf.
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Sattar
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: al-Saffar
authors.forename: R T
authors.initials: RT
authors.lastname: Guindi
authors.forename: T N
authors.initials: TN
authors.lastname: Sugathan
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Behbehani
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D004198:Disease Susceptibility; D005260:Female; D015234:HLA-A Antigens / Q000032:analysis; D015235:HLA-B Antigens / Q000032:analysis; D015795:HLA-B8 Antigen / Q000032:analysis; D006684:HLA-DR Antigens / Q000032:analysis*; D015803:HLA-DR3 Antigen / Q000032:analysis; D015805:HLA-DR5 Antigen / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D007730:Kuwait; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D012306:Risk
chemical_list: D015234:HLA-A Antigens; C039682:HLA-A10 antigen; D015235:HLA-B Antigens; C063569:HLA-B21 antigen; D015795:HLA-B8 Antigen; D006684:HLA-DR Antigens; D015803:HLA-DR3 Antigen; D015805:HLA-DR5 Antigen