title: Human leukocyte antigen DQ2/8 prevalence in non-celiac patients with gastrointestinal diseases.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the prevalence of human leukocyte antigen (HLA) DQ2/8 alleles in Southern Italians with liver and gastrointestinal (GI) diseases outside of celiac disease.
  
  
  METHODS
  HLA DQ2/8 status was assessed in 443 patients from three ambulatory gastroenterology clinics in Southern Italy (University of Federico II, Naples, Loreto Crispi Hospital, Ruggi D'Aragona Hospital, Salerno). Patients were grouped based on disease status [pre-post transplant liver disease, esophageal/gastric organic and functional diseases, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)] and DQ2/8 alleles, which correspond to a celiac disease genetic risk gradient. Subject allele frequencies were compared to healthy Italian controls.
  
  
  RESULTS
  One hundred and ninety-six out of four hundred and forty-three (44.2%) subjects, median age 56 years and 42.6% female, were DQ2/8 positive. When stratifying by disease we found that 86/188 (45.7%) patients with liver disease were HLA DQ2/8 positive, 39/73 (53.4%) with functional upper GI diseases and 19/41 (46.3%) with organic upper GI diseases were positive. Furthermore, 38/105 (36.2%) patients with IBS and 14/36 (38.9%) with IBD were HLA DQ2/8 positive (P = 0.21). Compared to healthy controls those with functional upper GI diseases disorders had a 1.8 times higher odds of DQ2/8 positivity. Those with liver disease had 1.3 times the odds, albeit not statistically significant, of DQ2/8 positivity. Both those with IBS and IBD had a lower odds of DQ2/8 positivity compared to healthy controls.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The proportion of individuals HLA DQ2/8 positive is higher in those with liver/upper functional GI disease and lower in IBS/IBD as compared to general population estimates.
authors.affiliation: Gastrointestinal Unit, University Federico II Naples, 80131 Naples, Italy.
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: DiGiacomo
authors.forename: Antonella
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Santonicola
authors.forename: Fabiana
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Zingone
authors.forename: Edoardo
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Troncone
authors.forename: Maria Cristina
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Caria
authors.forename: Patrizia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Borgheresi
authors.forename: Gianpaolo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Parrilli
authors.forename: Carolina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ciacci
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005767:Gastrointestinal Diseases / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D005787:Gene Frequency; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D006683:HLA-DQ Antigens / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy; D008107:Liver Diseases / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016017:Odds Ratio; D010641:Phenotype; D012307:Risk Factors; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D006683:HLA-DQ Antigens; C053186:HLA-DQ2 antigen; C109756:HLA-DQ8 antigen
keywords: Celiac disease; Gastro-intestinal and liver disease; Human leukocyte antigen DQ2/8