title: HLA and prognosis in multiple sclerosis.
abstract: The patients of a multiple sclerosis (MS) incidence cohort with 25 years of longitudinal follow-up were typed for HLA-DR and DQ. This type of cohort provides reliable data for gene frequencies and prognostic studies. The influence of sampling bias, mainly due to mortality during the long follow-up, was accounted for. A positive association between MS and DR15,DQ6 was confirmed, but this haplotype did not influence prognosis. There was no difference in haplotype frequency between relapsing-remitting and primary chronic progressive MS. DR17,DQ2 was significantly over-represented in the quartile with the most malignant course. The haplotype DR1,DQ5, which was found rather less frequently in MS patients, also tended to be associated with a poorer prognosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Sahlgren's Hospital, Göteborg, Sweden.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Runmarker
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Martinsson
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wahlström
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Andersen
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015331:Cohort Studies; D006683:HLA-DQ Antigens / Q000235:genetics*; D006684:HLA-DR Antigens / Q000235:genetics*; D006239:Haplotypes; D006801:Humans; D015993:Life Tables; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology* / Q000401:mortality / Q000503:physiopathology; D011379:Prognosis
chemical_list: D006683:HLA-DQ Antigens; D006684:HLA-DR Antigens