Associations of HLA Polymorphisms with Chronic Kidney Disease in Japanese Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients

The prevalence of chronic kidney disease (CKD) was reported to be higher in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients than in normal healthy individuals. Human leukocyte antigen (HLA) was associated with RA or CKD. Few studies on the association of HLA with CKD in RA have been reported. Here, we investigated the association of HLA polymorphisms with CKD in Japanese RA patients.

HLA-DRB1 genotyping was conducted in 351 Japanese RA patients with CKD (estimated glomerular filtration rate [eGFR] lower than 60 [mL/min/1.73 m²]) and 959 without CKD (eGFR equal to or higher than 60 [mL/min/1.73 m²]). Associations of allele carrier frequencies of DRB1 with CKD were examined in the RA patients.

There was an association of DRB1*13:02 with CKD in RA, but this did not achieve statistical significance (p = 0.0265, odds ratio [OR] 1.70, pc = 0.7412, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.09-2.64). The DR6 serological group was associated with CKD in RA (p = 0.0008, OR 1.65, 95% CI 1.24-2.20). A gene-dosage effect of DR6 was not detected. Logistic regression analysis showed that the association of DR6 with CKD in RA was independent of clinical characteristics.

The present study first revealed the independent predisposing association of DR6 with CKD in Japanese RA patients, although DR6 is known to be protective against RA. Our data suggest direct or indirect roles of HLA for the development of CKD in RA, but the mechanisms are not clear.