ABSTRACT
Predisposition to Crohn disease (CD) seems to be genetically determined but, though several reports on the matter, the association between HLA antigens and the disease is still controversial. PCR-SSP high resolution typing in 107 CD patients, and in subgroups selected according to clinical features, showed a positive association with the rare haplotype DRB1*07, DQB1*0303 both in the overall patients (p = 0.002; pc = ns) and in the subgroup of nonfistulized patients (p = 0.0008; pc = 0.032). Moreover, the protective role of the haplotype DRB1*03, DQB1*0201 (p = 0.029) was confirmed also in Italian patients, whereas no strong association with HLA class I alleles has been found. In addition, variability of the HLA alleles frequency in CD subgroups was observed, supporting the hypothesis of a genetic heterogeneity of the disease and suggesting that HLA alleles distribution in selected groups may allow to identify patients with probably different prognosis or associated complications.
