Association of HLA Alleles and HLA Haplotypes with Psoriasis, Psoriatic Arthritis and Disease Severity in a Miscegenated Population

Abstract

Background: The study of HLA classes I and II in Brazilian psoriasis patients may contribute to a better understanding of their association with the disease. Objective: To describe HLA classes I and II of Brazilian patients with psoriasis, with or without arthritis, compare them to controls and correlate HLA markers with epidemiological and evolutional aspects of psoriasis. Methods: A total of 55 patients with more than 5 years of psoriasis, with or without arthritis, answered a questionnaire on ethnic background and disease severity. A total of 134 bone marrow donors were controls. HLA class I and II genotyping was determined by PCR-SSP.