title: Multiple sclerosis and autoimmune diseases: epidemiology and HLA-DR association in North-east Italy.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Multiple Sclerosis Centre of the Veneto, Region, First Neurology Clinic-Dept. of Neurosciences, University of Padova, Via Giustiniani 5, 35128, Padova, Italy.
authors.forename: Alice
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Laroni
authors.forename: Massimiliano
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Calabrese
authors.forename: Paola
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Perini
authors.forename: Maria Paola
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Albergoni
authors.forename: Federica
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ranzato
authors.forename: Michela
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tiberio
authors.forename: Leontino
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Battistin
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Gallo
mesh_terms: 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
chemical_list: D006684:HLA-DR Antigens