Multiple sclerosis and autoimmune diseases: epidemiology and HLA-DR association in North-east Italy.
An autoimmune background is thought to characterize the families of multiple sclerosis (MS) patients, but disease patterns and HLA-DR association seem to vary considerably among different ethnic groups. We investigated the prevalence of autoimmune diseases in 245 MS patients and 245 age- and sex-matched normal controls (NC), originating from and living in North-east Italy, and their first degree relatives, using a case-control method. Further, HLA-DRB1 expression was analysed in MS and NC. The following significant findings were observed: 1) a significant excess of autoimmunity in first-degree relatives of MS patients (p = 0.000), 2) an association of MS with Type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) (p = 0.02), 3) an increase in DR4 expression (namely DRB1*0401) in MS patients from families with multiple autoimmune pathology compared with reference MS patients (p=0.02) and NC (p=0.01). We conclude that the risk of autoimmune disease is higher in first-degree relatives of MS patients and that disease association and HLA-DR expression in North-east Italy differs from other geographic regions of Europe.
Laroni
Alice
A
Multiple Sclerosis Centre of the Veneto, Region, First Neurology Clinic-Dept. of Neurosciences, University of Padova, Via Giustiniani 5, 35128, Padova, Italy.
Calabrese
Massimiliano
M
Perini
Paola
P
Albergoni
Maria Paola
MP
Ranzato
Federica
F
Tiberio
Michela
M
Battistin
Leontino
L
Gallo
Paolo
P
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000235:genetics; D015551:Autoimmunity; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D005260:Female; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D006684:HLA-DR Antigens / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000235:genetics*; D015995:Prevalence; D012306:Risk
D006684:HLA-DR Antigens