Background: Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada syndrome (VKH), is an idiopathic, multisystem inflammatory disorder primarily involving the eye. HLA typing has shown a strong association between the HLA-DR4 antigen and people of Japanese, Han Chinese and Hispanic ancestry with VKH. This study reviewed the clinical features and HLA typing of Vietnamese patients with VKH.
Patients and methods: A retrospective review of four unrelated Vietnamese patients with VKH seen in private practice and hospital clinic. The American Uveitis Society (1978) criteria for VKH diagnosis were satisfied. Standard microcytotoxic assays for Class I antigens and HLA-DNA typing of Class II DR antigens (DRB1 genotyping) by the PCR-SSO method were performed.
Results: The clinical features of VKH in Vietnamese were comparable to those seen in other Asian races. HLA-DR4 was present in three of the four VKH patients. Two of these patients also expressed the allele DRB1*0405.
Discussion: The strong association between HLA-DR4 and the DRB1*0405 allele and VKH seen in Japanese people, may well also exist in Vietnamese people. The HLA association suggests an immunogenetic predisposition to VKH.