Association of chronic fatigue syndrome with human leucocyte antigen class II alleles. Issue 8 (27th July 2005)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Smith, J; Fritz, E L; Kerr, J R; Cleare, A J; Wessely, S; Mattey, D L
• Is Part Of: Journal of clinical pathology. Volume 58:Issue 8(2005)
• Page Start: 860
• Page End: 863
• Publication Date: 2005-07-27
• Subjects: CFS, chronic fatigue syndrome -- CI, confidence interval -- HLA, human leucocyte antigen -- CDC, Centers for Disease Control -- OR, odds ratio; chronic fatigue syndrome -- HLA -- association; Pathology -- Periodicals; Pathology, Molecular -- Periodicals; 616.0705
• DOI: 10.1136/jcp.2004.022681
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0021-9746

Abstract

Abstract : Background: A genetic component to the development of chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) has been proposed, and a possible association between human leucocyte antigen (HLA) class II antigens and chronic fatigue immune dysfunction has been shown in some, but not all, studies. Aims: To investigate the role of HLA class II antigens in CFS. Methods: Forty nine patients with CFS were genotyped for the HLA-DRB1, HLA-DQA1, and HLA-DQB1 alleles and the frequency of these alleles was compared with a control group comprising 102 normal individuals from the UK. All patients and controls were from the same region of England and, apart from two patients, were white. Results: Analysis by 2 × 2 contingency tables revealed an increased frequency of HLA-DQA1*01 alleles in patients with CFS (51.0% v 35%; odds ratio (OR), 1.93; p = 0.008). HLA-DQB1*06 was also increased in the patients with CFS (30.2% v 20.0%; OR, 1.73, p = 0.052). Only the association between HLA-DQA1*01 and CFS was significant in logistic regression models containing HLA-DQA1*01 and HLA-DRQB1*06, and this was independent of HLA-DRB1 alleles. There was a decreased expression of HLA-DRB1*11 in CFS, although this association disappeared after correction for multiple comparisons. Conclusions: CFS may be associated with HLA-DQA1*01, although a role for other genes in linkage disequilibrium cannot be ruled out.