Genetic factors in myasthenia gravis: a family study.
We studied forty-four patients with myasthenia gravis (MG) and their families. Thirty percent of patients had a confirmed family history of autoimmune disease; in one case this was MG. In all the families with autoimmune disease, the affected relatives were related to the patients through the maternal line. HLA-B8 and DR3 were increased in patients due to the high incidence of these antigens in female, nonthymoma patients with onset before 40 years. HLA-B5 was increased in patients with older onset. The haplotype A1-B8-DR3 was not found to be increased given the presence of B8 or DR3.
Kerzin-Storrar
L
L
Department of Medical Genetics, St. Mary's Hospital, Manchester, England.
Metcalfe
R A
RA
Dyer
P A
PA
Kowalska
G
G
Ferguson
I
I
Harris
R
R
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000235:genetics; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006680:HLA Antigens / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009157:Myasthenia Gravis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D010375:Pedigree; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000473:pathology
D006680:HLA Antigens