HLA antigens in polymyalgia rheumatica in northern Sweden.
The HLA-A, B and DR antigens were analyzed with serological methods in 75 patients with polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR). In PMR patients the frequency of the HLA-DR4 antigen was significantly higher (62.1%) compared to blood donors (40%), p < 0.05, but did not differ from patients with seropositive rheumatoid arthritis (RA) from the same area (63.1%). In contrast, the frequency of HLA-B27 in the PMR patients (9.3%) was significantly lower compared to RA (27.2%), p < 0.01, but did not differ from blood donors (16.9%). There was no association between DR4 and disease affliction or severity in PMR. The increased frequency of HLA-B27 in RA but not in PMR in the population of northern Sweden suggests an immunogenetic difference between these two HLA-DR4 associated diseases.
Department of Rheumatology, University Hospital of Northern Sweden, Umeå, Sweden.
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Uddhammar
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Sojka
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Rantapää-Dahlqvist
D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006680:HLA Antigens / Q000032:analysis*; D015796:HLA-B27 Antigen / Q000032:analysis; D015804:HLA-DR4 Antigen / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011111:Polymyalgia Rheumatica / Q000150:complications / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D012217:Rheumatoid Factor / Q000032:analysis; D013548:Sweden; D013585:Synovitis / Q000150:complications
D006680:HLA Antigens; D015796:HLA-B27 Antigen; D015804:HLA-DR4 Antigen; D012217:Rheumatoid Factor