Pemphigus, study of HLA-class I.

diseases and is divided into two vulgaris and foliaceus pemphigus and mainly appears during fifties and sixties.1,2 Its etiology is not exactly known and genetic talent may play a role in its development.3,4 The disease is globally widespread and is more common in some races.5,6 A study was conducted to evaluate the HLA-class I in patients suffering from pemphigus. Patients with skin biopsy of pemphigus were selected and HLA-typing was conducted. Fifty one healthy subjects were selected as members of the control group. HLA antigens were determined by microcytotoxicity method. Gender, kind of disease, disease onset age, lesions onset place, lesions development place, records of the disease in first class relatives, response to treatment, type of treatment, cases of diseases relapse, existence of any accompanying disease, and results of HLA-typing were studied. In this study, mean age of the disease onset was 46.47 years. Out of 51 understudy patients, 28 (54.9%) were men and 23 945.1%) women. 49 (96.1%) patients suffered from pemphigus vulgaris and 2 (3.9%) cases from foliaceus pemphigus. Out of 51 patients with pemphigus who underwent HLA-typing, HLA-BW6 was positive in 49%, BW4 in 39%, A3 in 35%, B5 in 31%, A11 and CW4 in 27%, B44 and B12 in 25%, and B51 and A9 in 24% of the patients. The analysis does not refer to any meaningful relation between the age at disease onset and type of HLA (P>0.05). Special HLAs (BW6, BW4, A3, B5) were obtained which were more prevalent in our region.