ASSOCIATION OF HLA-DRB1-ASTERISK-0405 WITH EXTRAARTICULAR MANIFESTATIONS AND EROSIONS IN SINGAPOREAN CHINESE WITH RHEUMATOID-ARTHRITIS

Objective. To determine the association of disease related HLA-DRB1 lo cus with disease severity and extraarticular features in Singaporean C hinese patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Methods. 70 patients w ith RA and 80 controls were typed for HLA class II alleles by the poly merase chain reaction-sequence specific oligonucleotide probe method. Results, 56 patients (80%) had erosive disease; 51 were seropositive ( 73%), and 16 had extraarticular features (23%). Patients with HLA-DRB1 0405 had significantly higher prevalence of extraarticular features ( 43 vs 10%; p=0.001) and erosions (93 vs 71%; p=0.022) compared to thos e without the allele. There was also a greater frequency of seropositi vity and joint surgery, and a higher number of second line agents used by patients with HLA-DRB10405 in comparison to those without, althou gh the difference was not statistically significant. Conclusion. HLA-D RB10405 is associated with the presence of extraarticular features an d erosions in Singaporean Chinese patients with RA.