About hla b27

Bones, joints and muscles
1

Can any one help me out with the difference in between HLA B27 positive and HLA B27 negative

2

Hi Rajiv,

​   HLA-B27 is an antigen found in the blood that is one of the indicators used to diagnose AS.  HLA-B27 correlates with AS which means that people with AS tend to be HLA-B27 positive.  It is not diagnostic by itself since a percentage of people in the general public are HLA-B27 positive and they do not have AS.  However, a much larger percentage of AS  sufferers are HLA-B27 positive so it is one of the things that is checked when someone is being examined for AS.  It is claimed that you can also be HLA-B27 negative and have AS but I'm not 100% sure about that one. 

3

Negative As is what I have.  It's harder to diagnose. Because a blood test shows no abnormal inflammatory factors like,  the RA factor being negative, and no inflammation is apparent (swollen knuckles, red puffy ankles; things like that) does that help?

4

Oh right!  What Peter said.... people can be HLA-B27 negative and still b diagnosed with AS.  Nowadays a clinical evaluation is the diagnostic standard for diagnosis because the blood result vary too much.