The HLA-DRB1 Val11 was the most common HLA amino acid variant significantly associated (PGWAS< 5 × 10−08) with increased risk of ACPA-positive RA in all the studied populations included in this study (Table 3), and this association was validated in our study among the Malay ethnic group. Here, HLA-DRB1 is linked to rheumatoid arthritis.