Neurologic injuries, paraosteoarthropathies, and human leukocyte antigens

The distribution of human leukocyte antigens (HLA) A and B has been evaluated in the circulatory lymphocytes of 68 patients with spinal cord injury and 32 with severe head injury. Paraosteoarthropathy (POA) was present in 43 spinal cord injury and 23 head injury patients. HLA-B 18 was found in 25.7% of the subjects with POA. Among 341 healthy subjects, the frequency of HLA-B 18 was 7.6%. There is a 0% frequency in patients without POA. The frequency of the HLA-B 18 antigen is significantly raised in POA patients, suggesting relationship between the development of POA and the presence of the HLA-B 18 marker. The presence of HLA-B 18 might be associated with an increased risk of POA in patients with lesion of the central nervous system.