Distribution of HLA-antigens among patients with endometriosis

Previous studies have demonstrated a hereditary tendency to develop endometriosis and the incidence of the disease varies in different ethnic groups. The genetic background to these differences has not been clearly explained. The present investigation was performed to seek a possible association between certain HLA antigens and endometriosis. One hundred patients were typed for HLA-A, -B and -C, and of these 24 were also typed for HLA-DR. No significant deviations from the antigen frequencies in a normal population were found. We conclude that the development of endometriosis does not seem to be associated with HLA-A, -B, -C or -DR antigens.