Human leukocyte antigen DR markers as predictors of progression to liver transplantation in patients with chronic hepatitis C.
OBJECTIVE
Because many patients with chronic viral hepatitis do not progress to end-stage liver disease, it is possible that host factors such as human leukocyte antigen (HLA) differences are important. Our aims were to determine HLA marker-specific rates of progression to liver transplantation among patients with chronic hepatitis C; and to determine if polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based HLA DRB1 typing can be performed on stored serum samples.


METHODS
Forty-two hepatitis C virus RNA-positive liver transplant patients and 87 untransplanted patients were included in a Cox proportional hazards model to test whether the occurrence of certain HLA DRB1 markers were associated with progression to liver transplantation. HLA DRB1 typing was performed on stored serum samples using a PCR method.


RESULTS
There were no differences among the HLA DRB1 markers with regard to the HLA marker-specific rate of progression to transplantation among patients with chronic hepatitis C.


CONCLUSIONS
HLA DRB1 markers do not appear to be associated with progression of disease in chronic viral hepatitis C. It is possible to perform PCR-based HLA DRB1 typing on stored frozen serum samples.
Brandhagen
D J
DJ
Department of Health Sciences Research, Mayo Clinic and Foundation, Rochester, Minnesota, USA.
Gross
J B
JB
Poterucha
J J
JJ
Germer
J J
JJ
Czaja
A J
AJ
Smith
C I
CI
Ribeiro
A C
AC
Guerrero
R B
RB
Therneau
T M
TM
Schiff
E
E
Gordon
F D
FD
Wiesner
R H
RH
Persing
D H
DH
D000328:Adult; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000032:analysis; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D006684:HLA-DR Antigens / Q000032:analysis*; D059811:HLA-DRB1 Chains; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000235:genetics; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology* / Q000601:surgery* / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D016031:Liver Transplantation; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods; D011379:Prognosis; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis
D015415:Biomarkers; D006684:HLA-DR Antigens; D059811:HLA-DRB1 Chains; D012367:RNA, Viral