Sex and age at diagnosis are correlated with the HLA-DR2, DQ6 haplotype inmultiple sclerosis

The KLA-DR2, DQ6 (i.e., HLA-DRB1*1501, DQA1*0102, DQB1*0602) haplotype cont ributes to the risk of developing multiple sclerosis (MS) in Caucasoids of Northern European heritage. A correlation between the clinical expression o f MS and the presence of HLA-DR2, DQ6 has, however, not convincingly been s hown. In this study conventional bivariate analysis and logistic regression analysis were used to study the relationship between HLA-DR2, DQ6 and four disease variables in a cohort of 286 Norwegian MS patients from the Oslo a rea. Logistic regression analysis showed that HLA-DR2, DQ6 was significantl y more frequent among female than male patients (P=0.0251), and was negativ ely correlated with age at diagnosis regardless of sex (P=0.0254). No signi ficant correlation was observed between KLA-DR2, DQ6 and type of disease (r elapsing-remitting versus primary chronic progressive MS) or presence/absen ce of oligoclonal bands in the cerebrospinal fluid. (C) 2000 Elsevier Scien ce B.V. All rights reserved.