Histocompatibility antigens in chronic liver disease.

The frequencies of histocompatibility antigens (HL-A) have been determined in patients with chronic active hepatitis, cryptogenic cirrhosis, and alcoholic cirrhosis, and were compared with those in a control group of 900 healthy subjects. No significant differences were found and the previously reported increased frequency of HL-A8 in chronic active hepatitis has not been confirmed. The discrepancy from some previous reports could not be explained by different histological, immunological, or biochemical features. However, in view of the variation in incidence of a number of features of the disease from series to series, it seems possible that our findings may reflect differences in the selection of patients or real differences in the disease entity seen by different workers.