HLA studies in acute anterior uveitis in north India
Mehra, N.K.; Vaidya, M.C.; Malaviya, A.N.; Batta, R.K.
Indian Journal of Medical Research 77: 507-511
1983
ISSN/ISBN: 0019-5340 PMID: 6683710 Document Number: 217057
North Indian patients (49) with acute anterior uveitis (AAU) seen at the Ophthalmology service of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences Hospital, New Delhi were studied for their HLA antigen distribution. HLA typing for alleles of the A and B loci was performed in 47 of these cases while the remaining 2 were typed only for HLA-B27. Of 49 patients, 27 were positive for B27 and among these B27 positive patients, 23 had associated spondyloarthropathies, 9 ankylosing spondylitis, 11 Reiters syndrome and 3 unclassified spondyloarthropathy. Only 1 patient of AAU with associated spondyloarthropathy did not possess the B27 antigen. Out of these 25 AAU patients who lacked spondyloarthropathies, only 4 were positive for B27. The presence of B27 in an AAU patient was found to be a good indicator of the existence of an associated rheumatologic disorder in that individual. Amongst the other antigens, HLA-AI was observed in 4 (8.5%) and A9 in 21 (44.6%) out of 47 patients. In addition to B27, other MHC linked genetic factor(s) may be associated with susceptibility to acute anterior uveitis.