Juvenile myoclonic epilepsy and human leukocyte antigens.

The idiopathic generalized epilepsies (IGE) occur with a high aggregation within families. Juvenile myoclonic epilepsy (JME) is recognized as a commonly occurring form of idiopathic generalized epilepsy. A possible association between JME and HLA antigens was investigated by serological typing of human leukocyte antigens (HLA) class I antigens and by DNA oligotyping of class II antigens. Twenty-four patients and 129 controls, all Caucasians of Scandinavian descent, were tested. Uncorrected there was a significant positive association (Relative risk (RR) = 8.07) to B17 and a significant negative association (RR = 0.13) to B8 as well as DRB13. The negative association to DQ alleles DQA10501 and DQB10201, which are in strong linkage disequilibrium with the alleles B8 and DRB13, was weaker and not significant, thus giving no clue as to a primary HLA-DQ association of JME.