SUBACUTE THYROIDITIS DE QUERVAIN: A DISEASE ASSOCIATED WITH A HLA-B ANTIGEN

Abstract

ABSTRACT Twenty-four caucasian patients with subacute thyroiditis de Quervain were HLA-A, B, C and D typed to evaluate a possible association between the major histocompatibility system and this disease. A highly increased frequency of HLA-Bw35 could be demonstrated (71 per cent, P = 2 × 10 −10 , relative risk 16.2) together with a concomitant increase of Cw4 (54 per cent, P = 7.9 × 10 −5 , relative risk 5.7), while the HLA-D antigen Dwl was only moderately and insignificantly increased. Accordingly, this disorder is more strongly associated with HLA-B than HLA-D segregant series in contrast to most other HLA associated diseases. The HLA association proves that the susceptibility to develop subacute thyroiditis de Quervain is genetically influenced, and suggests that HLA-typing may be of value in the diagnosis.