HLA class I and class II antigens in Turkish patients with chronic ordinary urticaria

Abstract

Background: Chronic urticaria is a common disease with an unclear pathogenesis, which may be resistant to therapy. Recent studies have focused primarily on a possible autoimmune basis. AIM. To investigate HLA class I and II antigens in a Turkish population with chronic ordinary urticaria (COU; not physical, vasculitic or contact), and identify susceptible HLA antigens.

Methods: HLA antigens were investigated in 55 patients diagnosed with COU, using a two-stage microdroplet lymphocytotoxicity test, with 104 healthy and genetically unrelated individuals evaluated as the control group.

Results: HLA Bw4 and HLA DQ1 antigens were significantly higher in the study group (odds ratio (OR) = 2.93, 95% CI 1.47-5.85, P = 0.003 and OR = 7.81, 95% CI 1.96-28.50, P = 0.001, respectively) whereas HLA-A24 antigen was higher in controls (OR = 0.36, 95% CI 0.15-0.86, P = 0.03).

Conclusion: We propose that HLA-Bw4 and DQ1 antigens may be responsible for susceptibility to COU while HLA-A24 may have a protective role in the Turkish population.