HERITABLE FACTORS DISTINGUISH 2 TYPES OF ALOPECIA-AREATA

Alopecia areata (AA) has been shown to be associated with the inherita nce of HLA class II alleles. HLA-DQ3 appears to be the general suscept ibility allele for AA. Patients with long-standing disease patterns, n amely, long-term patchy AA and long-term alopecia totalis and alopecia universalis (AT/AU), can be differentiated by their particular HLA as sociations. Long-standing AT/AU patients have unique and highly signif icant associations with HLA antigens DR4, DR11, and DQ7. A complex of early onset, disease severity, family incidence, and associations with HLA DR antigens are characteristic of long-standing AT/AU as distinct from long-standing patchy AA.