[Seronegative, HLA-B27-positive arthritis (a preliminary report)]

Fifty two patients, 29 males and 23 females, with seronegative polyarthritis, carriers of tissue-compatible antigen HLA--B27 manifested characteristic clinical signs: the disease started at young age--29; it progresses, most frequently, with attacks--acute or subacute as monoarthritis (gonitis) or oligoarthritis, the lower limb joints predominantly involved. The periarticular structures are very often involved in the process--achillitis, styloiditis, talagia and sarcoiliac joints--sarcoiliitis clinically and scintigraphically confirmed. With the family examinations of the patients' relatives the following cases were established: 9 cases with Bechterew's disease, four cases with sacroiliitis, one--with iridocyclitis, two patients with rheumatoid arthritis and 18 healthy carriers of HLA--B27 antigen. The dynamics of the development of typical ankylozing spondylitus was a favourable prognosis and the treatment, most often, covers--nonsteroid anti-inflammatory drugs or low doses of corticosteroids--generally or locally.