[Relation between the HLA system and juvenile hypertension]

As part of research of juvenile hypertension the authors assessed the types of HLA antigens loci A and B in 242 children, adolescents and young adults with asymptomatic primary hypertension. The control group was formed by 300 normotonic blood donors. In the group of hypertonic subjects a significantly higher frequency of HLA-B5 antigen was found and a lower frequency of HLA-B8 and B35. Classification of the group of patients by the type of raised BP revealed the following: in subjects with a variable BP, as compared with the control group, antigens HLA-A1, B8, B35 and B40 were less frequent, in subjects with a permanently elevated blood pressure antigen HLA-B5 was more frequent and conversely antigen HLA-B35 was less frequent than in healthy subjects. From the investigation ensues a probable relationship between the presence of antigen HLA-B5 and the greater risk of the subsequent manifestation of the disease and conversely between the presence of antigen HLA-B35 in subjects at risk and probably a favourable prognosis of blood pressure readings. Contemporary findings cannot yet be considered unequivocal and it will be necessary to test their validity by extending the number of examined subjects.