HLA-B*51 and B*15 alleles confer predisposition to Behcet's disease in Moroccan patients

HLA class I polymorphism in Moroccan patients with Behcet's disease has not been investigated so far. In this study, HLA-B* phenotype frequencies were analyzed in 86 unrelated Moroccan patients (45 males, 41 females) and 111 ethnically matched healthy controls. The predisposing effect of the B*51 was confirmed (30.2% in patients and 15.3% in controls, OR = 2.39, 95% CI [1.2-4.8], P = 0.015). It was mostly observed in males with young age at disease onset (OR = 5.5 [1.9-15.9], P = 0.002 compared to controls). The Moroccan ED group also presented a previously unknown association with HLA-B*15 (25.6% of patients versus 11.7% of controls, OR = 2.59 [1.1-5.5], P = 0.014), both in females and in males with late-onset of the disease. Altogether, the B*15 and/or B*51 alleles were expressed in 55.8% of patients compared to 27% of controls (OR = 3.4 [1.9-6.2], p < 10-4, Pc = 0.003). Our data indicate HLA-B effects on ED pathogenesis should be considered separately fur men and women. (C) American Society for Histocompatibility and Immunogenetics, 2001. Published by Elsevier Science Inc.