title: Polymyalgia rheumatica: a syndrome associated with HLA-DR4 antigen.
abstract: HLA class II antigens were determined in 65 patients with biopsy-proven giant cell arteritis (GCA). An increase in DR4 antigen frequency was found in the patients (40%) compared with that in 200 healthy controls (20%) (Pcorr less than 0.05). DR4 was significantly more frequent in GCA patients with polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR) than in those without PMR (58.8% versus 19.3%) (P less than 0.005). HLA-DR4 frequency in GCA patients without PMR was similar to that in the control population (20%). Patients with severe, disabling PMR had DR4 more frequently (90%) than did those with moderate symptoms who required medical care because of cranial arteritis manifestations (41.6%) (P less than 0.05). We conclude that, in GCA patients, association with DR4 is mainly related to the manifestation of the disease as PMR. We discuss clinical and immunogenetic similarities between PMR and other DR4-associated rheumatic disorders. Common immunopathogenic mechanisms leading to clinical overlap among them are suggested.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Hospital Clínic i Provincial, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: M C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Cid
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ercilla
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Vilaseca
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Sanmarti
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Villalta
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ingelmo
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Urbano-Marquez
mesh_terms: D005260:Female; D013700:Giant Cell Arteritis / Q000276:immunology; D006681:HLA-D Antigens / Q000032:analysis*; D006683:HLA-DQ Antigens / Q000032:analysis; D006684:HLA-DR Antigens / Q000032:analysis*; D015802:HLA-DR2 Antigen; D015803:HLA-DR3 Antigen; D015804:HLA-DR4 Antigen; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011111:Polymyalgia Rheumatica / Q000276:immunology*; D012016:Reference Values
chemical_list: D006681:HLA-D Antigens; D006683:HLA-DQ Antigens; C053186:HLA-DQ2 antigen; D006684:HLA-DR Antigens; D015802:HLA-DR2 Antigen; D015803:HLA-DR3 Antigen; D015804:HLA-DR4 Antigen