IS THERE AN IMMUNOGENETIC BASIS FOR PEYRONIES-DISEASE

Purpose: Despite numerous studies, there has been no definitive HLA as sociation with Peyronie's disease. Results of available studies have b een reviewed and compared to determine if the cumulative evidence supp orts any immunogenetic, HLA association with Peyronie's disease. Mater ials and Methods: Data from reports of HLA associations with Peyronie' s disease were reanalyzed by categories of reported HLA class I or cla ss II antigens in comparison with recently available large population analysis of the frequencies of these antigens in the normal population . Data were also considered by whether they were derived from populati on or family analyses. Results: The results of 4 series of patients te sting an association of Peyronie's disease with the HLA class I antige ns, in particular the B7 related antigens, were contradictory. A B7 as sociation was not confirmed in 2 larger series and, in fact, the B7 re lated antigens were observed in frequencies expected in a normal popul ation, suggesting that the associations observed in the smaller series were due to chance. An association with the HLA class II antigen, DQ2 , was found in 1 of the larger series. Reported family studies suggest a genetic basis for Peyronie's disease but do not indicate a gene clo sely linked to the HLA complex. Conclusions: Considering all available data, Peyronie's disease appears to be multifactorial in pathogenesis . Because Peyronie's disease is Likely heterogeneous and because avail able studies have analyzed serologically defined HLA antigens, future studies to define HLA alleles molecularly and to characterize patient subgroups may clarify an immunogenetic basis.