Orosomucoid and haptoglobin types in patients with sarcoidosis

Association with HLA and complement factors has been reported in sarcoidosis, and the results of previous studies suggest a multifactorial and immunogenetic etiology of the disease. We have studied two genetic acute-phase reactant systems, orosomucoid (ORM) and haptoglobin (HP), in 226 patients with sarcoidosis and population controls from northern Sweden. Significant allele and phenotype differences between patients and controls were found in both systems. The ORM1 phenotype showed a significant increase in sarcoidosis (RR = 1.34, p = 0.036), which was more pronounced among patients with low (< 1,500 nkat/l) angiotensin-converting enzyme levels (RR = 1.83, p = 0.00065) and hypercalcemia (RR = 3.69, p = 0.0023). The HP1 type was significantly increased among the sarcoidosis patients (RR = 1.57, p = 0.013). The results suggest that the ORM1 1 and HP1 types may be contributory determinants in the multifactorial etiology of sarcoidosis.