Croatian International Publications

In this study the authors analysed the distribution of HLA class II alleles and the extended haplotype HLA-Cw-B-DRB1DQA1-DQB1 in Croatian patients with type I and type II psoriasis by hybridization with specific oligonucleotide probes. Type I psoriasis showed a significant association with the DRB1*0701 (p<0.00001; relative risk/RR=5.83), DQA1*0201 (p<0.00001; RR=6.12), DQB1*0201 (p=0.0006; RR=3.29) and DQB1*0303 alleles (p=0.0008; RR=7.51). A negative correlation with type I disease was observed for the DQA1*0102 allele (p=0.002; RR=0.26). Type II psoriasis did not show any association with any class II alleles. The extended haplotype HLA-Cw*0602-B57-DRB1*0701-DQA1*0201-DQB1*0201 was present at a significantly higher frequency in type I patients (p<0.00001; RR=7.72). However, this haplotype was not detected at all in patients with type II psoriasis. In conclusion, the extended haplotype HLA-Cw*0602-B57-DRB1*0701-DQA1* 0201-DQB1*0201 is a risk haplotype for type I disease in the Croatian population. This particular haplotype has not been reported previously in association with psoriasis in any other ethnic groups.