HLA antigen phenotypes in rheumatic heart disease

ABSTRACT

The pattern of human leucocyte antigen [HLA] phenotypes [HLA-A, -B and -DR antigens] was typed in 80 upper Egyptian patients with established rheumatic valvular heart disease and the results were compared with those of 200 ethnically similar normal controls. The results of the present study suggested that RHD in population may be influenced by the HLA associated genetic susceptibility. Recent studies have been recently begun to probe the monoclonal technology which revealed the existence of a serologically defined strong genetic marker [B-lymphocyte alloantigen]. The predictive value of this antigen in predicting the risk of various factors of acute rheumatic fever [ARG] and RHD, needs to be evaluated to better recognize and quantitate the different lymphocyte subsets to enable production of selective and effective immunosuppressive therapy [at an earlier stage] of this disabling heart disease