Hla—dr antigens and anticardiolipin antibodies in northern italian systemic lupus erythematosus patients

Eighty systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients attending 3 clinical centers were evaluated immunologically and immunogenetically. No HLA class I1 antigens were found to be significantly associated with SLE in these patients. A highly significant (P = 6.17 × 1o⁻⁷) association was observed between anticardiolipin antibodies and DR7. A lesser association (P < 0.025) was also observed between DR2 and/or DR3 and anti—Ro (SS-A) antibodies. No relationship was found between any DR antigen and anti-Sm/RNP, antidouble-stranded DNA, or anti—La (SS-B) antibodies.