CD15-expressing phagocytic plasma cells in a patient with multiple myeloma.

(Immunogenetics, Zwijndzecht, Belgium). Results were analyzed with the Yates continuity-corrected chi-square test using the GraphPad program. We found that the frequency of the HLA-DRB1*1302 haplotype was 21.43% in the group of patients compared to 2.56% in the controls (P 5 .0199) (Table 1). The relative risk for the carriers was 8.36. The frequencies of all other HLA haplotypes did not differ significantly between patients and control subjects. The clinical and biologic significance of our finding is unknown, but it seems possible that the frequency of the HLA-DRB1*1302 haplotype may have a role in the development of the aforementioned unrecognized low-grade chronic inflammation. Associations of HLA haplotypes with chronic inflammatory processes have already been well documented in a variety of clinical disorders.8 We believe that the increased frequency of the HLA-DRB1*1302 haplotype in NI-CINA patients may indicate the possible genetic basis in the development of such an inflammation, and thus it may predispose the haplotype-carrying subjects to develop the disorder.