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. 1995 Apr;22(4):607-10.

HLA-DRB1 alleles associated with rheumatoid arthritis in southern France. Absence of extraarticular disease despite expression of the shared epitope

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  • PMID: 7540691

HLA-DRB1 alleles associated with rheumatoid arthritis in southern France. Absence of extraarticular disease despite expression of the shared epitope

J F Benazet et al. J Rheumatol. 1995 Apr.

Abstract

Objective: Extraarticular rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is almost unknown in Marseille in southern France. We investigated whether this was due to rare expression of the HLA-DRB1 shared epitope.

Methods: HLA-DRB1 alleles were characterized in 73 patients with RA and 108 controls by polymerase chain reaction amplification and oligonucleotide hybridization.

Results: In patients with RA, 76% expressed the shared epitope (46% DR1, 45% DR4). Four HLA-DRB1 alleles were positively associated with disease: DRB1*0101, DRB1*0401, DRB1*0404, DRB1*0405. Patients with double dose shared epitope had the most severe articular damage, but no extraarticular disease.

Conclusion: In Marseille, 76% of patients with RA are shared epitope positive. Still, most do not develop extraarticular RA. This may be caused by the low frequency of HLA-DRB1*0401 in this population.

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