Microcomputer-generated antigen panel worksheets.
Early reports of anti-Rodgers (anti-Rg) noted that there was an increased number of the HLA-B8 phenotype among this group. This HLA type has recently been Linked to a C4A (Rg) gene deletion found with increased frequency among systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients. Healthy controls (n= 176) and SLE patients (n=102) were studied for their HLA haplotype and C4 allotype as well as their Rg phenotype Six of 53 white and 3 of 49 black SLE patients were C4A-null and Rodgers-negative, a significant difference from controls p=.002). A retrospective study of patients who produced ant-Rg showed that one third had symptoms often associated with SLE but none had SLE as a primary diagnosis.
Moulds
J M
JM
Howard Hughes Medical Institute Research Laboratories, Washington University School of Medicine, 660 South Euclid, Box 8045, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA.