People who are HLA-B27 positive are more likely to experience early onset AS than HLA-B2… However, talk to your doctor to see if you need to stop taking any of your medications before the blood draw. Arthritis Foundation: "Guide to Lab Tests. This is a family of autoimmune diseases. Here are a few stats to put things into perspective. For some people, knowing they tested positive for HLA-B27 may increase their stress level and for others not knowing whether they test positive or not may be more harmful. Your test results may not mean you have a problem. In the West, 50% of cases of anterior uveitis is associated with a positive HLA-B27 and about half of these people will develop spondyloarthritis. Although most HLAs protect your body from harm, HLA-B27 is a specific type of protein that contributes to immune system dysfunction. If it comes as positive, don’t panic. They usually take the blood sample from your arm using a small needle. It suggests a greater-than-average risk for developing or having certain autoimmune disorders. Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email. All rights reserved. Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. However, people who have a positive HLA-B27 AND have a first-degree relative with ankylosing spondylitis have a 15% to 20% risk of developing the disease at some point during their lifetime. These are very complex concepts, which I will hold off on discussing further.

However, if the test is negative, it doesn’t mean that you don’t have an autoimmune disorder.

A positive test means HLA-B27 is present. These people tend to have more severe symptoms, non-joint symptoms (e.g., uveitis), and it tends to last longer.

You may feel pain at the puncture site during the test and mild pain or throbbing at the puncture site afterward. In people with inflammatory arthritis of the spine and joints (not osteoarthritis), a positive HLA-B27 test is associated with the presence of one of a group of diseases called seronegative spondyloarthropathies. THIS TOOL DOES NOT PROVIDE MEDICAL ADVICE. Remember, only 2% of people with a positive HLA-B27 go on to develop ankylosing spondylitis, which is the main autoimmune disease associated with this test.

For example, while 90% of people with ankylosing spondylitis(AS) are HLA-B27 positive, only a small fraction of people with HLA-B27 ever develop AS. Guide to living with psoriatic arthritis: part 1, and What is autoimmune joint pain? National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases: "How is Rheumatoid Arthritis Diagnosed?" American Association for Clinical Chemistry: "Rheumatoid Factor." My opinion is, if it’s going to happen it’s going to happen. Learn about juvenile idiopathic arthritis symptoms, diagnosis, and….