Influence of class I and II HLA alleles on inhibitor development in severe haemophilia A patients from the South of Brazil

Summary. Congenital haemophilia A is a chromosome‐linked recessive disorder caused by the deficiency or reduction of factor VIII (FVIII) pro‐coagulant activity. During treatment, some patients develop alloantibodies (FVIII inhibitors) that neutralize the action of exogenously administered FVIII. Currently, the presence of these inhibitors is the most serious adverse event found in replacement therapy. Some studies have suggested that genetic factors influence the development of the FVIII coagulation inhibitors. To identify the class I and II alleles that may be influencing the formation of inhibitors in severe haemophilic patients. Genotyping of the class I (HLA‐A, ‐B and ‐C) and class II (HLA‐DRB1, ‐DQA1 and ‐DQB1) alleles of 122 patients with severe haemophilia A, including 36 who had developed antibodies to factor VIII, was performed. After the comparison of the group without inhibitors and the group with inhibitors, HLA‐C*16 [Odds ratio (OR) = 7.73; P = 0.0092] and HLA‐DRB1*14 (OR = 4.52; P = 0.0174) were found to be positively associated with the formation of the inhibitors. These results confirm that HLA alleles are involved in inhibitor production and could be used as a tool for recognition of groups at high risk of possible inhibitor development in Southern Brazilian haemophilic patients.