Prevalence of spondyloarthropathies and HLA-B27 in the native population of Chukotka, Russia.

OBJECTIVE

We sought to determine the prevalence and nature of spondyloarthropathies (SPA) and the prevalence of HLA-B27 in the native selected circumpolar population of Chukotka, Russia.

METHODS

We conducted a cross sectional study that included medical examinations and interviews of 355 of 498 (71.3%) native residents of 2 Eastern Chukotka settlements, Enmelen and Nunligran.

RESULTS

Among them were 268 Chukchas, 7 Eskimos, and 80 subjects of mixed race. There were 9 subjects (2.5%) with SPA, 3 of 7 Chukchas had ankylosing spondylitis (AS) (1.1%), 2 reactive arthritis (ReA), 2 with undifferentiated SPA. Among the mixed race persons one Chukcha-Eskimo had AS, one Eskimo-Russian had psoriatic arthritis (PsA). We found a high percentage of HLA-B27 antigen in the population, 34% in Chukcha natives and 25% in mixed race.

CONCLUSION

Our data complement other studies of circumpolar populations and reinforce the reported high prevalences of SPA and HLA-B27 among those populations.