HLA class II allele polymorphism in Hungarian patients with systemic lupus erythematosus

Recently, a comprehensive study was published on HLA class II DNA typing in a large cohort of European patients with SLE.1 Independently of this collaborative study, we have examined similar DRB1, DQA1, and DQB1 allele polymorphisms and clinical features in Hungarian patients with SLE. Fifty patients with SLE (48 female; mean age at the time of the examinations 41 years (range 21–76)) and 50 healthy blood donors matched for age and sex with the controls were examined. Genotyping of HLA-DRB1 alleles was carried out with the Dynal RELI SSO HLA-DRB kit, and the DRB1*15/16 subtyping by the method of Ota et al .2 DQA1 determination was performed by the method of Ota et al .3 The DQB1 …