HLA-DRB1 GENOTYPING IN PATIENTS WITH RHEUMATOID-ARTHRITIS IN TAIWAN

Objective. To investigate the relation of HLA-DR alleles to the develo pment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and the correlations between HLA-DR alleles and clinical manifestations of patients with RA in Taiwan. Me thods. The HLA-DRB1 alleles were studied in 144 patients with RA and 1 54 healthy controls using polymerase chain reaction/sequence specific oligonucleotide probe methods. The subtypes of HLA-DR4 were detected b y cloning sequencing. Results. The prevalence of HLA-DR4 was significa ntly higher in patients with RA (46.53%) than in healthy controls (25. 97%). HLA-DRB10405 was more common in patients than in controls (83.5 8 vs 50%), while the prevalence of DRB10403 in patients (4.48%) was s ignificantly lower than in controls (27.5%). There was no significant difference in frequencies of HLA-DR alleles between DRB10405 negative patients and DRB10405 negative controls. We also noted a positive co rrelation in patients between HLA-DR4 and bone erosion, but not HLA-DR 4 and age of onset, seropositivity, or extraarticular involvement. The re was no significant difference in seropositivity, extraarticular inv olvement, and bone erosion between homozygous and heterozygous DR4 pat ients. Conclusion. HLA-DRB10405 is related to the development of RA i n Taiwan, while DRB10403 was a negative risk factor. HLA-DR4 was asso ciated with bone erosion in patients.