AN IMMUNOGENETIC STUDY OF OLDER AGE ONSET RHEUMATOID-ARTHRITIS

  • 1 January 1984
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 11  (2) , 147-149
Abstract
Thirty-two patients with older age onset rheumatoid arthritis (ORA), defined as disease onset after age 60, were selected for HLA typing. The majority (69%) were rheumatoid factor (RF) seronegative. An increase in HLA-DR4, though not statistically significant, was seen in ORA (38% vs. 17% normals). This antigen was strongly associated with RF seropositivity (70%, P < 0.01) and rheumatoid nodules (75%, P < 0.01) in ORA. The immunogenetics of ORA are similar to that described for adult RA in general.