The Association of HLA Antigens A3, B7, and DW2 with 330 Multiple Sclerosis Patients in the United States

Abstract
Reported associations of HLA antigens with MS have varied considerably. In this study we have examined 330 clinically definite MS patients from the United States. The frequency of DW2 (52%) was highly statistically significant in MS patients as compared to controls (p < 0.00001). Neither A3 nor B7 was significantly increased in MS; however, the joint occurrences of A3‐DW2 (20% vs 7%, p < 0.001) and B7‐DW2 (30% vs 13%, p < 0.0002) are highly associated with MS.