[Celiac disease and HLA in a hospital population of Uruguay].

Since the description of the association of HLA-B8 antigen with celiac disease, it has been confirmed by many authors. The incidence of HLA-B8 antigen is higher in adults and children when it is compared to apparently healthy controls. Some authors found a reduction on the incidence of HLA-B7 antigen and others suggested that a higher incidence of HLA-B12 antigen in patients HLA-B8 antigen negative, is associated with celiac disease. We studied 19 unrelated patients with celiac disease and 64 controls. Their ages range from 18 months to 18 years old, onset of the disease was during childhood. We determined twelve antigens of the HLA-A locus and thirteen antigens of the HLA-B locus. We used the NIH Microlymphocytotoxicity Technique. The degree of association was computed by the relative risk and the results were statistically evaluated by the X2. The statistically significant increase in frequency was shown only for HLA-A29 The results did not show neither the higher incidence for HLA-B8 found by other authors, nor the higher incidence for HLA-B12; however HLA-B7 was not detected in our patients. The final decision on the association of HLA-A29 antigen with celiac disease in our population will require examination of a broader panel of probands.