The aim of the study was to evaluate the relationship between the presence of the ' @entity309 ', defined by a sequence motif in the @entity1533 alleles, rheumatoid factor and disease severity in Northern Italian @entity1 with @entity309 ( @entity309 ). Twenty-nine @entity4107 -positive and 57 @entity4107 -negative @entity309 @entity1 were studied. Each @entity4107 -positive @entity1 was matched with two @entity4107 -negative controls of similar disease duration and sex. @entity1533 alleles were determined in the 86 @entity1 and 351 controls from the same geographical area. The @entity1 were retrospectively evaluated for extra-articular features (EAF) and radiographic damage. The @entity309 was expressed in 45% of @entity1 . No significant differences in the presence of rheumatoid factor, EAF and articular damage were observed between @entity1 with no, one or two doses of epitope. However, the @entity1 encoding the epitope by an HLA- @entity4107 allele had a higher number of eroded joints and a higher Larsen score compared to those without the epitope. No differences were present between @entity1 expressing @entity1533 *01 alleles and those lacking the @entity309 . Even in the absence of expression of the @entity309 , seropositive @entity1 had more EAF and more @entity66 compared to those who were seronegative. Even if most Northern Italian @entity309 @entity1 do not express the @entity309 , the radiological severity of disease is associated with @entity1533 *04 alleles.

@entity1533 alleles associated with XXXX in Northern Italy: correlation with disease severity.

@entity1 :: ('9606', 'Species') :: ['patients', 'patient'] @entity66 :: ('MESH:D004194', 'Disease') :: ['erosive disease'] @entity309 :: ('MESH:D001172', 'Disease') :: ['rheumatoid epitope', 'rheumatoid arthritis', 'RA'] @entity4107 :: ('3126', 'Gene') :: ['DR4'] @entity1533 :: ('3123', 'Gene') :: ['HLA-DRB1']
@entity309 :: (MESH:D001172,Disease) :: ['rheumatoid arthritis']
