LACK OF ASSOCIATION OF HLA-DRB1 GENOTYPE WITH RADIOLOGIC PROGRESSION IN JAPANESE PATIENTS WITH EARLY RHEUMATOID

Objective. To evaluate the role of HLA-DRB1 genotypes in the developme nt and progression of the rheumatoid arthritis (RA) disease process. M ethods. Patients with polyarthritis of < 1 year in duration were conse cutively enrolled in the study. Other inclusion criteria were no diagn osis of inflammatory diseases other than RA, and no history of taking disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs or steroids. Patients were evalu ated every 4 weeks, and radiographs of the hands/wrists and feet were taken at presentation and 1 year later, HLA-DRB1 genotypes were determ ined by polymerase chain reaction and restriction fragment length poly morphism methods. Results. We enrolled 198 patients (median disease du ration 5.0 months) and 150 controls. The frequency of individuals with DRB10405 and *0410 was significantly higher in the patients than in the controls. Homozygous states for DRB1 alleles with the RA-related s hared epitope (SE) were associated with increased susceptibility for t he development of polyarthritis (odds ratio 3.4, 95% confidence interv al 1.5-7.7). None of the DRB1 alleles or SE genotypes correlated with the presence of bone erosion at presentation or 1 year later. Conclusi on. DRB1 alleles with SEs were associated with the development of poly arthritis but not with early radiographic progression of the disease p rocess.