Relationship of Hla‐Dw3 and Hla‐B8 to Sjögren'S Syndrome

Abstract

Nineteen patients with Sjögren's syndrome were evaluated for the presence of HLA-B8 and HLA-Dw3. HLA-B8 was found in 57.8% of patients and 20.1% of 96 controls (P > 0.0001). HLA-Dw3 was detected in 73.7% of the patients and 24.0% of controls (P > 0.00001). Statistical evaluation of the association of both antigens with Sjögren's syndrome revealed that the primary association was with HLA-Dw3 (P > 0.005). Patients with HLA-Dw3 had a lower mean parotid salivary flow rate (0.8 ± 0.3 ml/10 minutes/gland versus 5.6 ± 1.2 ml/10 minutes/gland, P < 0.00004) and a more intense lymphocytic infiltration into labial salivary glands (focus score 7.2 ± 0.9 versus 3.4 ± 0.9, P < 0.04) than did patients without HLA-Dw3. The difference in the intensity of the lymphocytic infiltration was even more significant when patients with both HLA-Dw3 and HLA-B8 were compared with patients with neither antigen (focus score 7.5 ± 1.0 versus 2.8 ± 0.8, P < 0.02). In addition, all patients with severe keratoconjunctivitis sicca had both antigens. Our observations suggest that a number of genes may interact to determine susceptibility and severity in Sjögren's syndrome.