FUCHS HETEROCHROMIC CYCLITIS AND HLA HISTOCOMPATIBILITY ANTIGENS

Genetic typing of class I major histocompatibility complex (MHC) antig ens (HLA-A, -B and -C) was performed in 22 patients with Fuch's hetero chromic cyclitis (FHC) and in a control group of 339 healthy subjects in order to ascertain whether there are any genetic factors that prote ct against or increase the risk of developing this disease. The freque ncy of only one HLA-antigen was found to differ significantly in the p atients with FHC as compared with the normal subjects: HLA-A2 had a ne gative association with FHC (9.09% in FHC versus 47.47% in the control group; p < 0.01, Fisher's exact test with correction for the number o f antigens studied) with an odds ratio of 0.11 (95% confidence limits 0.03 and 0.50). Other HLA antigens also showed a negative or positive association with FHC but not to a statistically significant level. Our results suggest a possible role for HLA genetic factors in the pathog enesis of FHC.