HL-A antigens and susceptibility to diseases. A study of patients with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia, Hodgkin's disease, and childhood asthma.

Twenty-eight children with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL), 39 patients with Hodgkin's disease (HD), and 35 patients with childhood asthma were HL—A typed. The results indicate an increased frequency of the haplotypes HL—A2,12 and HL—A1,8 in ALL, the antigen HL—A5 in HD, and the haplotype HL—A1,8 in asthmatic children. Other evidence also indicates that a special immune responsiveness may be associated with the latter haplotype.