HLA patterns in Australian patients with insulin dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM).

HLA antigens were determined in 169 Australian patients with insulin dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM). HLA-B8 (47.9% v. 23.8%) and B15 (18.9% v. 8.2%) were significantly more frequent in the IDDM patients than in 1460 controls. The relative risks for developing IDDM in people carrying these antigens were 2.94 and 2.59 respectively. Carriers of the B8/B15 genotype had a relative risk of 5.48. These HLA associations in Australian IDDM patients are similar to those reported in other predominantly Caucasian populations.