Sex Ratios and Hormones in HLA Related Rheumatic Diseases

Overview

Journal Ann Rheum Dis

Specialty Rheumatology

Date 1991 Jun 1

PMID 2059084

Citations 10

Authors

W H James

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

The major diseases associated with HLA-B27 (Reiter's disease, ankylosing spondylitis, acute anterior uveitis, and psoriatic arthritis) all occur much more commonly in men. Published evidence indicates that the antigen HLA-B27 is associated with high testosterone concentrations in men. Moreover, the antigen HLA-B44 exerts a protective effect on one of these diseases (psoriatic arthritis), and there are external grounds for supposing that HLA-B44 indexes an antiandrogenic process. These data are interpreted as support for the hypothesis (first adumbrated nearly 20 years ago) that HLA antigens index unusual hormone concentrations, which in turn are causally related to the diseases. An examination of published reports suggests that sibs of probands with ankylosing spondylitis (and perhaps Reiter's disease) contain an excess of men, and that sibs of probands with rheumatoid arthritis contain an excess of women. These data lend further support to the hypothesis.

Citing Articles

Does HLA-B27 Status Influence Ankylosing Spondylitis Phenotype?.

Akassou A, Bakri Y Clin Med Insights Arthritis Musculoskelet Disord. 2018; 11:1179544117751627.

PMID: 29343996 PMC: 5764146. DOI: 10.1177/1179544117751627.

Remission in psoriatic arthritis: is it possible and how can it be predicted?.

Saber T, Ng C, Renard G, Lynch B, Pontifex E, Walsh C Arthritis Res Ther. 2010; 12(3):R94.

PMID: 20482783 PMC: 2911878. DOI: 10.1186/ar3021.

Brain glioma and human leukocyte antigens (HLA)--is there an association.

Machulla H, Steinborn F, Schaaf A, Heidecke V, Rainov N J Neurooncol. 2001; 52(3):253-61.

PMID: 11519856 DOI: 10.1023/a:1010612327647.

Male sex predominance in Chlamydia trachomatis sexually acquired reactive arthritis: are women more protected by anti-chlamydia antibodies?.

Bas S, Scieux C, Vischer T Ann Rheum Dis. 2001; 60(6):605-11.

PMID: 11350850 PMC: 1753670. DOI: 10.1136/ard.60.6.605.

Role of androgens in the aetiology of rheumatoid arthritis.

Brennan P, Silman A Ann Rheum Dis. 1996; 55(6):404.

PMID: 8694584 PMC: 1010196. DOI: 10.1136/ard.55.6.404.

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