HLA ANTIGENS IN POLYMYALGIA-RHEUMATICA IN NORTHERN SWEDEN

The HLA-A, B and DR antigens were analyzed with serological methods in 75 patients,vith polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR), In PMR patients the fr equency of the HLA-DR4 antigen was significantly higher (62.1%) compar ed to blood donors (40%), p < 0.05, but did not differ from patients w ith seropositive rheumatoid arthritis (RA) from the same area (63.1%), In contrast, the frequency of HLA-B27 in the PMR patients (9.3%) was significantly lower compared to Ri (27.2%), p < 0.01, but dit not diff er from blood donors (16.9%). There was no association between DR4 and disease affliction or severity in PMR. The increased frequency of HLA -B27 in RA but not in PMR in the population of northern Sweden suggest s an immunogenetic difference between these two HLA-DR4 associated dis eases.