Rhizomelic pseudopolyarthritis and Horton's disease. a search for correlations with HLA system, HB virus and Beta 2 microglobulin
Chaouat, D.; Benlahrache, C.; Yannoutsos, H.; Hoffman, H.; Fruchart, M.C.; Le Parc, J.M.; Paolaggi, J.B.; Auquier, L.
La Nouvelle Presse Medicale 11(2): 101-104
1982
ISSN/ISBN: 0301-1518 PMID: 6173841 Document Number: 188112
The authors studied 31 patients with either rhizomelic pseudopolyarthritis or Horton's disease. Contrary to others, they found no significant correlation between these diseases and hepatitis B virus infection or HLA gene. However, beta 2 microglobulin assays showed that it was significantly higher in these patients than in a control population. In the absence of close correlation between beta 2 microglobulin levels and those of inflammatory proteins, it is suggested that the rise in microglobulin reflected an immunological mechanism requiring further investigation.