title: Sex and age at diagnosis are correlated with the HLA-DR2, DQ6 haplotype in multiple sclerosis.
abstract: The HLA-DR2, DQ6 (i.e., HLA-DRB1*1501, DQA1*0102, DQB1*0602) haplotype contributes to the risk of developing multiple sclerosis (MS) in Caucasoids of Northern European heritage. A correlation between the clinical expression of MS and the presence of HLA-DR2, DQ6 has, however, not convincingly been shown. In this study conventional bivariate analysis and logistic regression analysis were used to study the relationship between HLA-DR2, DQ6 and four disease variables in a cohort of 286 Norwegian MS patients from the Oslo area. Logistic regression analysis showed that HLA-DR2, DQ6 was significantly more frequent among female than male patients (P=0. 0251), and was negatively correlated with age at diagnosis regardless of sex (P=0.0254). No significant correlation was observed between HLA-DR2, DQ6 and type of disease (relapsing-remitting versus primary chronic progressive MS) or presence/absence of oligoclonal bands in the cerebrospinal fluid.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Oslo City Hospitals, Ullevaal Sykehus, 0407, Oslo, Norway. elisabethgulowsen.celius@ulleval.no
authors.forename: E G
authors.initials: EG
authors.lastname: Celius
authors.forename: H F
authors.initials: HF
authors.lastname: Harbo
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Egeland
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Vartdal
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Vandvik
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Spurkiand
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017668:Age of Onset; D000368:Aged; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006683:HLA-DQ Antigens / Q000235:genetics*; D059848:HLA-DQ alpha-Chains; D059866:HLA-DQ beta-Chains; D006684:HLA-DR Antigens / Q000235:genetics; D015802:HLA-DR2 Antigen / Q000235:genetics*; D059811:HLA-DRB1 Chains; D006239:Haplotypes; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology*; D012727:Sex Characteristics
chemical_list: D006683:HLA-DQ Antigens; D059848:HLA-DQ alpha-Chains; D059866:HLA-DQ beta-Chains; C063831:HLA-DQ6 antigen; C069050:HLA-DQA1 antigen; C069051:HLA-DQB1 antigen; D006684:HLA-DR Antigens; D015802:HLA-DR2 Antigen; D059811:HLA-DRB1 Chains