Distribution of Gm Allotypes in Juvenile Chronic Arthritis

Abstract

The immunoglobulin allotypes Glm(a), Glm(x), G2m(n), G3m(b) and Km(l) were determined in 76 Swedish patients with juvenile chronic arthritis (JCA). Eight of the patients had the systemic form of the disease, 37 belonged to the polyarticular and 31 to the oligoarticular subset. The frequency of the Glm^a(x), G3m^-b haplotype was significantly increased in the polyarticular subset but not in the oligoarticular subset, compared with the normal population (p < 0.01). The polyarticular subset also differed from the oligoarticular subset with increased frequency (p < 0.01) and higher levels (p <0.01) of IgM rheumatoid factor and a lower rate of remission (p < 0.05). The few JCA patients in the systemic subset showed similar features as the polyarticular patients. The frequencies of G2m(n) and Km(1) did not deviate from the expected in any of the JCA subsets.

Key Words:

• Gm allotypes
• Gm markers
• human immunoglobulins
• JCA
• juvenile arthritis
• rheumatoid factor
• Stills disease