Published in:
01-08-2009 | Original Article
Distribution of HLA-B27 and its alleles in patients with reactive arthritis and with ankylosing spondylitis in Tunisia
Authors:
Mariam Siala, Nadia Mahfoudh, Radhouane Gdoura, Mohamed Younes, Hela Fourati, Arwa Kammoun, Ilhem Chour, Nihel Meddeb, Lilia Gaddour, Faiza Hakim, Sofien Baklouti, Naceur Bargaoui, Sleheddine Sellami, Adnene Hammami, Hafedh Makni
Published in:
Rheumatology International
|
Issue 10/2009
Login to get access
Abstract
The purpose of the present study is to investigate the frequency of HLA-B27 and its alleles in reactive arthritis (ReA) and in ankylosing spondylitis (AS) in Tunisia. HLA-B27 alleles were typed by PCR amplification with sequence-specific primers. We studied 17 patients with ReA associated with urethritis or with gastrointestinal infection; 42 HLA-B27-positive patients with AS and 100 healthy controls. Eleven ReA patients (67.7%) were HLA-B27 positive. There was an increased frequencies of HLA-B27 (P = 7.76 × 10−12, OR = 59.30) and a moderate increase of HLA-B51 (P = 0.015; OR = 4.91) alleles in ReA patients when compared with healthy controls. Four B27 subtypes were identified: B*2702, 05, 09 and B*2712. The distribution of these alleles in the ReA patients was 37.5% for B*2702 and B*2705. Only these two subtypes were detected in 18 (42.8%) and 24 (57.1%), respectively, of the AS patients. B*2709 and B*2712 were relatively rare in ReA patients and were identified in one case each. Our results showed a restricted number of HLA-B27 subtypes associated with ReA and AS. B*2702 and 2705 were common in ReA and AS patients.