[Genetic and diagnostic significance of the HLA picture in sarcoidosis].

67 patients with histologically proven sarcoidosis underwent typing of HLA-A, B, C and DR antigens to evaluate further the question of genetic susceptibility to the disease. A race-matched group of healthy volunteers (n = 42) served as controls. The frequency of the B-cell alloantigen specificity DR5 was significantly increased only in 49% of the patients with sarcoidosis compared to 21% of the race-matched control persons. This study supports the hypothesis that genetic factors may be associated with the etiopathogenesis of sarcoidosis. The result might serve also as an additional diagnostic pointer to the disease.