HLA-ANTIGEN PATTERN OF KASHMIRI PATIENTS WITH RHEUMATIC HEART-DISEASE

The distribution of BLA class-I (A, B and C), and class II (DR and DQ) antigens was studied in 50 randomly selected Kashmiri Muslim patients with established rheumatic heart disease and compared with that of 50 controls of similar ethnicity. A significant increase in the frequenc y of HLA-DR4 (P < 0.005, RR 3.27) and a significant decrease in the fr equency of HLA-B5 (P < 0.001, RR 0.19) were found in the patient group . Though HLA-DQ3 showed a significant increase (P < 0.005, RR 2.52) an d HLA-DR7 a significant decrease (P < 0.05, RR 0.42) in the patient gr oup, the corrected P value was not significant. The findings suggest t hat susceptibility to RHD in the studied population is HLA-related, wi th HLA-DR4 influencing its occurrence and HLA-B5 conferring protection against the same.