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Human leukocyte antigen B27
A normal (negative) result means HLA-B27 is absent.
A positive test means HLA-B27 is present. It suggests a greater-than-average risk for developing or having certain autoimmune disorders. An autoimmune disorder is a condition that occurs when the immune system mistakenly attacks and destroys healthy body tissue.
An abnormal result may be caused by:
If there are symptoms or signs of an autoimmune disease, a positive HLA-B27 test may confirm the diagnosis. However, HLA-B27 is normally found in a small number of Caucasians and does not always mean you have a disease.
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van der Linden SM, van der Heijde D, Maksymowych WP. Ankylosing spondylitis. In: Firestein GS, Budd RC, Harris ED, et al, eds. Kelley’s Textbook of Rheumatology. 8th ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Saunders Elsevier; 2009:chap 70.
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