HLA-B27 antigenFrom our partner site on osteoarthritis, MyOsteoarthritisCentral.com. Many HLA antigens exist, but some are of special interest since they are more common in certain autoimmune diseases. For example, HLA-B27 is found in 80 - 90% of people with ankylosing spondylitis and Reiter's syndrome. However, HLA-B27 is also present in 5 - 7% of Caucasian people without autoimmune disease. Using the new genetic testing methods, not all HLA-B27 genes are associated with an increased risk of developing ankylosing spondylitis (for example, HLA-B*2706 has not been shown to have an association). It is important to note that this test does not predict the development of autoimmune disease, and should not be used for this purpose.
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