Analysis of Typing in Patients with Uveitis in Korean Population

ABSTRACT

In order to evaluate association of particular HLA typing with certain uveitis in Korean population, HLA antigens were analyzed in 114 uneitis patients(acute anterior uveitis 32 cases, Behcet`s disease 25 cases, intermediate uveitis 19 cases, Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada (V-K-H) syndrome 10 cases, retinal vasculitis 12 cases, Eale`s disease 3 cases, posterior uveitis 9 cases, pan.uveitis 4 cases). The stronger association between acute anterior uveitis and HLA-B27 was statistically significant, and this result was similar to reports in other ethnic groups. Also, the association between V-K-H syndrome and HLA-DR4 showed same results. But the high frequency of HLA-DR7 in the patients with V-K-H syndrome was unque in patients of Korean popjlation and statistically significant. The association between HLA-A2 and posterior uveitis was high in patients of Korean population and statistically significant. Behcet`s disease was stronger association with HLA-B51 but not statistically significant and much weaker association than reports in Japanese group. Although many similarities of associations between particular uveitis and HLA typing were detected as compared with other ethnic groups, distinctive HLA associations were demonstrated in Korean population. Additional cases and long-term follow-up are required to confirm the association with HLA typing and the relationship with prognosis including clinical and laboratory variabilities.