RT Journal Article SR Electronic T1 Close association of HLA-B51 and B52 in Israeli patients with Behçet's syndrome. JF Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases JO Ann Rheum Dis FD BMJ Publishing Group Ltd and European League Against Rheumatism SP 351 OP 353 DO 10.1136/ard.50.6.351 VO 50 IS 6 A1 N Arber A1 T Klein A1 Z Meiner A1 E Pras A1 A Weinberger YR 1991 UL http://ard.bmj.com/content/50/6/351.abstract AB Epidemiological data, family history, clinical data, and HLA typing were studied in three groups of patients with Behçet's syndrome: six Israeli Ashkenazi Jews, 29 non-Ashkenazi Jews, and three Israeli Arabs. HLA-B51 and B52 were present in 24/38 (63%) and 8/38 (21%), respectively, of the patients compared with 13/151 (9%) of the control group for both cases, a relative risk of 18.2 and 2.8 respectively. The syndrome was found in six of the 34 families. Ninety five per cent of the affected family members were either B51 or B52 positive. Eleven of the 14 families (79%) chosen for study contained a close relative of the proband who had recurrent oral ulcers. All the relatives with ulcers, except for one, were B51 or B52 carriers. Recurrent oral ulcers in the patients with Behçet's syndrome began a few years before other manifestations of the syndrome occurred. Our findings suggest that (a) HLA-B51 and HLA-B52 are primarily associated with Behçet's disease of Israeli patients; (b) the familial occurrence of this syndrome is high and occurs predominantly in the B5 positive group; (c) recurrent oral ulcers may be the first symptom of Behçet's syndrome, appearing early in life; HLA analysis can provide the clue for a correct diagnosis; (d) ulcer recurrence is common among members of a family containing a patient with Behçet's syndrome.