title: [HLA-B27 in Bechterew's disease].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The role of HLA-B27 in rheumatic disease is reviewed.
  
  
  METHODS
  The PubMed database was searched for the code words HLA-B27, ankylosing spondylitis, or their combinations. The diagnostic value of HLA-B27 for ankylosing spondylitis was calculated using Bayes' theorem.
  
  
  RESULTS
  It is still not clear whether HLA-B27 is a contributing causal factor for ankylosing spondylitis and reactive arthritis. Knowledge of a patient's HLA-B27 status for establishing prognostic information is of uncertain clinical value.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Knowledge of HLA-B27 status has limited diagnostic value. HLA-B27 status is clinically most informative when the test result is negative, as ankylosing spondylitis can be ruled out.
authors.affiliation: Avdeling for mikrobiologi og immunologi, Gades Institutt, Haukeland Sykehus, Bergen.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ulvestad
mesh_terms: D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D003602:Cytotoxicity, Immunologic; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D015796:HLA-B27 Antigen / Q000032:analysis / Q000276:immunology; D006650:Histocompatibility Testing; D006801:Humans; D018448:Models, Immunological; D011379:Prognosis; D013167:Spondylitis, Ankylosing / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D015796:HLA-B27 Antigen
vernacular_title: HLA-B27 ved Bekhterevs sykdom.