Primary association of HLA-B51 with Behçet's disease in Ireland
a Institute of Ophthalmology, University College Dublin,
Mater Misericordiae Hospital, Dublin, Ireland, b National Tissue Typing Laboratory, The
Blood Transfusion Service Board, Dublin, Ireland
Correspondence to: Mr D J Kilmartin, Department of Ophthalmology, University of Aberdeen Medical School, Aberdeen AB9 2ZD.
Accepted for publication 14 May 1997
AIMS/BACKGROUND
While a primary association of
HLA-B51 with Behçet's disease (BD) in Japanese and Mediterranean
patients supports an immunogenetic predisposition, this link is unclear
in north western Europe. This study assessed HLA associations with BD,
and HLA-B51 with certain clinical characteristics, in the Republic of
Ireland, which has an ethnically homogeneous population.
METHODSHLA-A, HLA-B, and HLA-DR typing was
performed in 24 BD patients, conforming to International Study Group
criteria, and in blood donors, as controls. Patient records were
retrospectively reviewed and patients reassessed clinically.
RESULTSA highly significant HLA-B51 association
(corrected exact p value = 0.002, relative risk = 6.3) with BD was
determined, despite a low B51 prevalence (25%) in patients. No other
HLA type was associated. There was a significant B51 link with male sex
in BD patients but no association with age at first
manifestation/diagnosis, eye involvement, cyclosporin A therapy, or
poor visual acuity was determined.
CONCLUSIONSThis study supports a HLA-B51
immunogenetic predisposition, similar to Japanese patients, in Irish BD
in an ethnically homogeneous population in north western Europe.
However, owing to a low prevalence of B51 positivity in BD patients in
Ireland, a multifactorial pathogenesis is suggested.
© 1997 by British Journal of Ophthalmology
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