Investigation of Chronicity of Cardiac Sarcoidosis in Relation to HLA-DR and an Extrinsic Antigen

Abstract

Chronicity of the clinical course in sarcoidosis is seen in about a half cases of total in general, and studies on its causes and its causal treatment are essential. Nine cardiac sarcoid cases were examined on these subjects. Following to our previous report (Chest, 1992), intrinsic cause (HLA) was studied on the combination of HLA-DR types in 8 cardiac sarcoid cases, compared to 60 sarcoid cases. DR types of high response (HR) to SCW were much higher in cardiac sarcoid cases. Furthermore, as the results of DNA typing of the cardiac sarcoid cases, DRB1 alleles of HR to SCW seem to be detected in high-degree heart block groups, but in groups of benign arrhythmias the combination of DRB1 alleles of high and low responsiveness to SCW were seen except one case. Even in high-degree heart block cases, tonsillectomy or long-term oral hygine proved to be efficient.