[HL-A and ankylosing spondylarthritis]

Area of Science:

• Immunogenetics
• Rheumatology
• Clinical Diagnostics

Background:

• Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is a chronic inflammatory disease primarily affecting the axial skeleton.
• The genetic association between Human Leukocyte Antigen B27 (HLA-B27) and AS is well-established.
• Understanding the prevalence of HLA-B27 in AS patients is crucial for diagnostic strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the incidence of HLA-B27 antigen in patients diagnosed with ankylosing spondylitis.
• To compare HLA-B27 prevalence in AS patients with a healthy control group.
• To evaluate the utility of HLA-B27 testing as a diagnostic aid for suspected AS.

Main Methods:

• Human Leukocyte Antigen (HLA) phenotyping was performed on 133 patients with ankylosing spondylitis (110 males, 23 females).
• A control group of 1085 healthy subjects was included for comparison.
• Family members of 24 AS patients were examined for HLA-B27 positivity.

Main Results:

• The incidence of HLA-B27 antigen was significantly higher in AS patients (87.96%) compared to healthy controls (10.78%).
• Among the families studied, 27 individuals were HLA-B27 positive, including 11 cases of AS with subclinical presentation.
• A strong correlation was observed between HLA-B27 positivity and the presence of ankylosing spondylitis.

Conclusions:

• The high prevalence of HLA-B27 in ankylosing spondylitis patients underscores its strong genetic link.
• HLA-B27 antigen testing can be a valuable tool in the diagnostic workup of suspected ankylosing spondylitis cases.
• Integrating HLA-B27 testing with other diagnostic methods may improve early and accurate diagnosis of AS.