title: Histocompatibility antigens (A, B, C, and DR) in Arabs with rheumatoid arthritis.
abstract: Eighty-five Arab patients in Kuwait with classical and definite rheumatoid arthritis were typed to examine the frequency of HLA-A, B, C, and DR antigens. The results showed a significant increase in the frequency of HLA-A10, B8, B21, and DR3 antigens when compared to an age- and sex-matched control population. HLA-DR3 was present in 34 per cent of the patients compared with 2 per cent of the controls (p less than 0.001). The association of RA in the Arab population with HLA-DR3 rather than HLA-DR4 or HLA-DR1 as reported in other ethnic groups emphasizes further the complexity of the genetics of RA.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Kuwait University, Safat.
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: A G
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: White
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Behbehani
mesh_terms: D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000208:ethnology / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D015415:Biomarkers; D004198:Disease Susceptibility; D005006:Ethnicity; D005787:Gene Frequency; D006680:HLA Antigens / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D007730:Kuwait
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D006680:HLA Antigens