HLA CW3 in Thyrotoxicosis Patients with and without Endocrine Ophthalmopathy

Fifty-four thyrotoxic patients (23 with and 31 without endocrine ophthalmopathy EOP) were HLA typed for A, B, and C locus antigens. The frequency of this third locus antigen CW3 was found to be significantly increased in patients with EOP compared with those thyrotoxic patients without EOP. These findings point to a possible genetic heterogeneity in thyrotoxic patients with or without EOP. HLA B8 was observed in only 10 of the 54 patients studied, which is not in accordance with the previously reported statistically significant increased frequency of this B locus antigen in thyrotoxic patients.