In an age-based reanalysis of our recent studies26,27, HLA DRB1*03:01 (single positive or homogenous) was the dominant genotype in children and young adults (0–17 years (n = 97): p < 0.001; n = 97; 18–39 years (n = 84): p < 0.001); the DRB1*04:01 (single positive or homogenous) genotype was most prominent in the middle adulthood age range (40–59 years (n = 85): p < 0.001), and both risk alleles (each single positive or homogenous) were equally present in the late adulthood age range (≥60 years (n = 48): p = 0.522) in AIH without overlap syndromes (Fig. 1F). Here, HLA-DRB1 is linked to connective tissue disorder.