Fuch's heterochromic cyclitis and HLA histocompatibility antigens.

Genetic typing of class I major histocompatibility complex (MHC) antigens (HLA-A, -B and -C) was performed in 22 patients with Fuch's heterochromic cyclitis (FHC) and in a control group of 339 healthy subjects in order to ascertain whether there are any genetic factors that protect against or increase the risk of developing this disease. The frequency of only one HLA-antigen was found to differ significantly in the patients with FHC as compared with the normal subjects: HLA-A2 had a negative association with FHC (9.09% in FHC verus 47.47% in the control group; p < 0.01, Fisher's exact test with correction for the number of antigens studied) with an odds ratio of 0.11 (95% confidence limits 0.03 and 0.50). Other HLA antigens also showed a negative or positive association with FHC but not to a statistically significant level. Our results suggest a possible role for HLA genetic factors in the pathogenesis of FHC.