HLA-B27 association with uveitis in an Asian Indian population.

Abstract

Uveitis refers to diseases characterized by intraocular inflammation of the uveal tract. Anterior uveitis is a common ocular disease characterized by inflammation of the iris and the ciliary body. To establish the frequency of HLA-B27-positive uveitis in Asian Indian population, study their clinical profile and compare it with other reports in literature. We retrospectively reviewed medical data of 89 patients of uveitis referred for HLA B27 typing with predominantly ocular symptoms during the period from April 2006-October 2010. All patients were tested for complete blood count, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, infectious diseases serology, HLA-B27 typing, and prepared radiographs of the sacroiliac joints and lumbar spine if required. The HLA-B27 positive rate was 56.2% among patients and 3% for control samples. Most of the patients were in the age group of 41-50 years with a male predominance. HLA-B27 was seen to be associated with acute anterior uveitis in Asian Indian males and the test is important for confirmation of diagnosis, prognostication and also for planning the treatment.