GENETIC-HETEROGENEITY IN PRIMARY ANKYLOSING-SPONDYLITIS

  • 1 January 1980
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 7  (3) , 383-386
Abstract
White patients (115) suffering from primary ankylosing spondylitis (AS) were studied. HLA-B27 was present in 105 patients (92%) and 8% of controls (P < 0.001). Of the 10 B27 negative patients, 4 had HLA-Bw16 (40%), compared to 3.09% of 444 B27 negative controls (P < 0.014). The existence of genetic heterogeneity in primary AS is suggested. Since Bw16 is associated with psoriasis and enteropathic spondylitis, the clinical suggestion that disease-susceptibility alleles for psoriasis and for chronic inflammatory bowel diseases may be important in the development of primary AS, even in the absence of HLA-B27, is supported.