title: HLA-DQB1 Haplotypes and their Relation to Oral Signs Linked to Celiac Disease Diagnosis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Celiac disease (CD) is an autoimmune disorder that can be divided into typical and atypical forms. Atypical forms can show extraintestinal manifestations among which oral signs are very frequent. Considering that the pathogenesis of CD is related to a positivity to specific HLA-DQB1 haplotypes, we tested whether the presence of the HLA-DQB1*02 allele could be a hypothetical cause of the development of oral manifestations.
  
  
  METHODS
  For this study was been examined the oral condition of 98 Sardinian patients, all affected by CD and all on a gluten-free diet for at least 1 year. Then was been determined each patient's HLA-DQB1 haplotype and compared these results with clinical information.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The statistical analysis evidenced that the absence of the HLA-DQB1*02 allele predisposes to oral manifestations such as dental enamel defects (DED) and recurrent aphthous stomatitis (RAS) (Pvalue=5.98x10(-05), OR = 0.23, CI: (0.10 - 0.45) per each copy of the HLA allele).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results showed that the presence of the HLA-DQB1*02 allele influences the development of oral signs in a dose-dependent manner and also how the HLA haplotype connected to oral signs could have a fundamental role for the diagnosis of atypical forms of CD.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery and Odontostomatological Sciences, University of Cagliari. Cagliari.
authors.forename: Matteo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Erriu
authors.forename: Serena
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sanna
authors.forename: Annalisa
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nucaro
authors.forename: Germano
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Orrù
authors.forename: Valentino
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Garau
authors.forename: Caterina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Montaldo