[Fiessinger-Leroy-Reiter syndrome in Greenland. Clinical and epidemiological aspects]

A clinical and epidemiological study of the Fiessinger Leroy Reiter syndrome was undertaken in Inuits from four Greenland cities, because of the frequency of HLA B27 antigen and venereal diseases in this population. A mean prevalence of 0.67 p. cent was found in Inuits from the west coast, of which 27.5 p. cent are carriers of the HLA B27 antigen. In Amassalik, on Greenland's east coast, where the frequency of B27 was estimated at 6.5 p. cent, the prevalence of the syndrome is 0.32 p. cent. Immunogenetic and preliminary familial data show that HLA B27 is present in 87.5 p. cent of the patients and that 34 p. cent have a close relative with the disease. Clinical data are comparable to those reported in the literature. Evolution is marred by frequent recurrences: 85 p. cent of the patients followed for more than ten (10) years present at least one recurrence. The total frequency of ankylosing spondylarthritis is 16.7 p. cent. It increases, in retrospect, to reach 45 p. cent in 22 patients followed for more than 15 years.