DR antigen distribution in Blacks with rheumatoid arthritis
Alarcón, G.S.; Koopman, W.J.; Acton, R.T.; Barger, B.O.
Journal of Rheumatology 10(4): 579-583
1983
ISSN/ISBN: 0315-162X PMID: 6604813 Document Number: 215609
DR antigen distribution was studied in 85 Blacks with either classical or definite rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Sixty-three were seropositive and 22 were seronegative by latex fixation titer. The frequency of DR4 was 7.41% in our control Black population (n = 162), 22.22% in the seropositive (0.01 greater than p greater than 0.001; RR 3.57) and 22.72% in the seronegative RA (0.01 greater than p greater than 0.001; RR 3.67). Our data confirm the association of DR4 with seropositive RA in Blacks, and suggest a similar association of DR4 with seronegative RA. It also suggests that DR4 may be a risk factor for more aggressive disease in Blacks with seropositive RA.