title: HLA-DRB1 does not have a role in clinical response to interferon-beta among Iranian multiple sclerosis patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The role of human leukocyte antigen (HLA) in clinical response to immunotherapy is not completely known. In this study we evaluated the relationship between HLA-DRB1 genotype, which has been proved to be more common in Iranian MS patients, and clinical response to interferon-beta (IFNβ), which is the most common immunotherapy for relapsing-remitting MS.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this study 68 Iranian patients with confirmed diagnosis of RRMS who had been referred to and admitted in Neurology Department of Amiralam and Khatam Hospitals in Tehran were selected. Patients were followed prospectively for 2 years since initiation of therapy and clinical data, including EDSS scores were recorded every 3 months. MRI was performed at the time of diagnosis and each year.
  
  
  METHODS
  HLA-DRB1 typing was performed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for all patients and data was analyzed by STATA 12th edition.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were 47 (69.1%) responders and 21 (30.9%) non-responders. These two groups were demographically and clinically comparable. Fisher's exact test did not show any difference between HLA-DRB1 allele frequencies in responders and non-responders.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our findings confirmed the lack of association between HLA-DRB1 and clinical response to IFNβ among MS patients as previous studies had done.
authors.affiliation: Shefa Neurosciences Research Center, Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran; Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Neurology Department, Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran.
authors.forename: Sara
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Samadzadeh
authors.affiliation: Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Neurology Department, Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran.
authors.forename: Elnaz
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Tabibian
authors.affiliation: Neurology & Neurosciences Research Center, Qom University of Medical Sciences, Qom, Islamic Republic of Iran; Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Department of Medical Genetics, Cancer Institute, Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran.
authors.forename: Tayebeh
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sabokbar
authors.affiliation: Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Department of Medical Genetics, Cancer Institute, Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran.
authors.forename: Abbas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Shakoori
authors.affiliation: Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Neurology Department, Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran.
authors.forename: Shahram Rahimi
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Dehgolan
authors.affiliation: Shefa Neurosciences Research Center, Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran.
authors.forename: Saeed Azad
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Armaki
authors.affiliation: Shefa Neurosciences Research Center, Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran.
authors.forename: Bahram
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Aslanbeigi
authors.affiliation: Shefa Neurosciences Research Center, Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran; Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Neurology Department, Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran. Electronic address: abolfazl@sina.tums.ac.ir.
authors.forename: Roya
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Abolfazli
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005838:Genotype; D059811:HLA-DRB1 Chains / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D007155:Immunologic Factors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D007167:Immunotherapy / Q000379:methods; D016899:Interferon-beta / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007492:Iran; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020529:Multiple Sclerosis, Relapsing-Remitting / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011446:Prospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D059811:HLA-DRB1 Chains; D007155:Immunologic Factors; D016899:Interferon-beta
keywords: Frequencies in responders and non-responders; HLA-DR beta-Chains; Interferon-beta; Iran; Multiple sclerosis