• Jae Hyun Jung, Cho Hee Bang, Hongdeok Seok, Sung Jae Choi, and Gwan Gyu Song.
• Division of Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Korea University Ansan Hospital, Republic of Korea.
• Ann Acad Med Singap. 2019 Oct 1; 48 (10): 321-329.

IntroductionAnkylosing spondylitis (AS) and Behçet's disease are known to be associated with the human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-B27 and HLA-B51 genes, respectively. However, many of their clinical findings-including articular and extra-articular symptoms-are similar, making diagnosis a challenge in the early stage of the disease. The aim of this study was to investigate the differences in clinical findings of AS patients with and without the HLA-B27 gene.Materials And MethodsWe performed a retrospective chart review of 151 AS patients. The following clinical findings were evaluated: oral ulcer, genital ulcer, skin manifestation, uveitis, peripheral arthritis; and gastrointestinal, cardiac and pulmonary involvement. Patients were divided into 4 groups based on absence or presence of the HLA-B27 and HLA-B51 genes. The number of patients with each clinical finding was subsequently examined in each group.ResultsThe incidence of uveitis was significantly higher in the HLA-B27-positive group (P = 0.004); however, other clinical findings did not differ significantly according to the absence or presence of the HLA-B27 gene. There were no significant differences in the clinical findings of patients with positive and negative HLA-B51.ConclusionHLA-B27 was associated with the development of uveitis but not with other clinical findings or disease activity in AS patients. HLA-B51 was not associated with the clinical findings or disease activity of AS.

19 keywords...

hide…