DISTRIBUTION OF HLA HISTOCOMPATIBILITY ANTIGENS, ABO BLOOD-GROUPS AND RH-ANTIGENS IN ALCOHOLIC LIVER-DISEASE

The distribution of 16 antigens of the HLA-A and 15 antigens of the HLA-B series of HLA system, the blood groups ABO and Rh antigens were studied in 40 alcoholics with cirrhosis, 18 alcoholics without cirrhosis, and in normal control subjects. The group of alcoholics with cirrhosis showed a significantly high frequency of HLA-B13 (corrected P < 0.01) when compared with normal subjects, while the frequency of HLA-B13 was similar to normal in alcoholics without cirrhosis. Carriers of HLA-B13 are apparently more susceptible to liver damage caused by alcohol. Both groups of alcoholics and the normal controls had a similar distribution of ABO blood groups and Rh antigens.