Identification of subsets of patients with Graves' disease by cluster analysis.

Abstract

We have applied cluster analysis methods to forty-nine laboratory and clinical characteristics (including 26 HLA-A, B antigens) observed in 196 Graves' disease patients. Three subgroups could be identified: group I (seventy-nine patients) had small goitres, low indices of autoimmunity and a tendency to remission with medical treatment; group IIa (twenty-nine patients) had clinical and laboratory features of 'Hashitoxicosis'; Group IIb (eighty-four patients) had a high incidence of ophthalmopathy, familial aggregation, marked evidence of autoaggression and a tendency to relapsing hyperthyroidism. The prevalence of HLA-B8 was 8.9% in group I, 20.7% in group IIa and 86.9% in group IIb. This study demonstrates that Graves' disease can be subdivided using cluster analysis into clinically relevant subgroups which are further distinguished by their correlation with HLA-B8. Possible immunological bases for these observed patterns are discussed.

• Authors: V Stenszky, C Balázs, L Kozma, S Rochlitz, J C Bear, N R Farid
• Journal: Clinical endocrinology (Clin Endocrinol (Oxf)) Vol. 18 Issue 4 Pg. 335-45 (Apr 1983) ISSN: 0300-0664 [Print] England
• PMID: 6603289 (Publication Type: Journal Article)

Chemical References

• HLA Antigens
• HLA-A Antigens
• HLA-B Antigens
• HLA-B8 Antigen

Topics

• Adolescent
• Adult
• Female
• Graves Disease (classification, immunology, pathology)
• HLA Antigens (analysis)
• HLA-A Antigens
• HLA-B Antigens
• HLA-B8 Antigen
• Humans
• Male
• Middle Aged
• Space-Time Clustering