title: Erosive rheumatoid factor negative and positive rheumatoid arthritis are immunogenetically similar.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The relationship between rheumatoid factor positive (RF+) and rheumatoid factor negative (RF-) rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is controversial. We sought to determine whether the HLA genes conferring susceptibility for erosive RF+RA are also prevalent in patients with erosive RF-RA.
  
  
  METHODS
  DNA-based HLA typing for DRB1, DQB1, and DPB1 was performed on 16 consistently RF--patients with erosive RA.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Thirteen of 16 (81%) RF-RA patients had the HLA susceptibility genes DRB1 *0401, *0404, or *0101, which are associated with RF+RA, as compared to 46% of normal controls (p = 0.017). By contrast, no associations with HLA-DQB1 and HLA-DPB1 alleles were apparent.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Specific HLA susceptibility alleles are prevalent in patients with erosive RA, regardless of RF status, suggesting a similar immunogenetic basis for RA in these patients.
authors.affiliation: Virginia Mason Research Center, Seattle, WA 98101.
authors.forename: R K
authors.initials: RK
authors.lastname: Vehe
authors.forename: G T
authors.initials: GT
authors.lastname: Nepom
authors.forename: K R
authors.initials: KR
authors.lastname: Wilske
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Stage
authors.forename: A B
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Begovich
authors.forename: B S
authors.initials: BS
authors.lastname: Nepom
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000483:Alleles; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D005787:Gene Frequency; D006681:HLA-D Antigens / Q000235:genetics*; D006682:HLA-DP Antigens / Q000235:genetics; D059868:HLA-DP beta-Chains; D006683:HLA-DQ Antigens / Q000235:genetics; D059866:HLA-DQ beta-Chains; D006684:HLA-DR Antigens / Q000235:genetics; D059811:HLA-DRB1 Chains; D000949:Histocompatibility Antigens Class II / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D007125:Immunogenetics; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012217:Rheumatoid Factor / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D006681:HLA-D Antigens; D006682:HLA-DP Antigens; D059868:HLA-DP beta-Chains; C071170:HLA-DPB1 antigen; D006683:HLA-DQ Antigens; D059866:HLA-DQ beta-Chains; C069051:HLA-DQB1 antigen; D006684:HLA-DR Antigens; D059811:HLA-DRB1 Chains; C553505:HLA-DRB1*04:01 antigen; D000949:Histocompatibility Antigens Class II; D012217:Rheumatoid Factor