@article{3081996,
    title = "Shared epitopes and rheumatoid arthritis: Disease associations in Greece
and meta-analysis of Mediterranean European populations",
    author = "Ioannidis, JPA and Tarassi, K and Papadopoulos, IA and Voulgari, PV and and Boki, KA and Papasteriades, CA and Drosos, AA",
    journal = "Seminars in Arthritis and Rheumatism",
    year = "2002",
    volume = "31",
    number = "6",
    pages = "361-370",
    publisher = "W B SAUNDERS CO LTD",
    issn = "0049-0172",
    doi = "10.1053/sarh.2002.31725",
    keywords = "rheumatoid arthritis; meta-analysis; class IIHLA alleles; shared
epitopes; extra-articular manifestations",
    abstract = "Objectives: To assess the strength of the associations between HLA
shared epitopes (SE) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA) susceptibility,
articular disease severity, and extra-articular features in
Mediterranean European populations.
Methods: One hundred and seventy-four Greek RA patients and 103 controls
were evaluated. Data were then included in a meta-analysis of 9 studies
of Mediterranean European populations (959 RA patients and 1,405
controls).
Results: In our study population, SE alleles were significantly more
common in RA patients than in controls (odds ratio [OR], 2.5; 95%
confidence interval [CI], 1.4-4.3). Larsen radiologic score was
predicted by SE and disease duration. SE did not increase the risk of
any extra-articular manifestation. The meta-analysis showed a pooled OR
of 3.7 (95% Cl, 2.6-5.2) for susceptibility to RA conferred by SE (OR,
3.4 v 3.9 in Greek v non-Greek populations).
Conclusions: SE determine articular destruction without increasing the
risk of extra-articular manifestations. The immunogenetic associations
of RA susceptibility are consistent, but their strength may depend on
the SE prevalence in different ethnic groups."
}