HLA ANTIGENS IN BURGERS DISEASE

The HLA A and B types of 20 Greek patients with thromboangiitis obliterans (TAO) were studied and compared with a panel of 400 controls. A non-statistically significant increase in the frequencies of HLA B5, B7 and A9 antigens was found. These antigens were found to be associated with a relative risk of 3.47, 3.24 and 2.07 respectively. These findings are partially in agreement with those of a joint English-Swiss study which also found a negative association with B12 antigens; in the Greek population, also of European origin, a negative association was observed with the B8 antigen.