HLA antigens in an Omani population with dilated cardiomyopathy

We have investigated the frequency of HLA antigens in 50 Omanis with idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy to establish whether there are ethnic/racial differences in the reported HLA associations with this disease. There were no statistically significant HLA-A, B, C, DR or DQ antigen frequency differences between the patients and 247 healthy Omanis. The reported association of HLA-DR4 with idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy in the Caucasian population does not apply to the Omanis. This confirms the heterogeneity of this disease and points to ethnic/racial origins as important factors when examining the HLA association. This is particularly pertinent as HLA-DR4 has been strongly linked to autoantibody formation in idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy in Caucasians. The lack of any HLA antigen association in Omanis would argue against the proposed HLA-linked autoimmune pathology of idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy.