Candidate gene studies in non-familial IIM have suggested an association of HLA-DRB1*0301 and HLA-DQA1*0501 with IIMs in Caucasians, especially in patients possessing anti-aminoacyl transfer RNA (tRNA) synthetase antibodies and/or ILD [4-6]. Here, HLA-DRB1 is linked to interstitial lung disease.