[The DNA typing of the HLA-B27 gene among individuals with joint lesions].

To determine the HLA-B27 gene subtypes associated with joint diseases we examined 55 patients (35 with ankylosing spondylarthritis (AS), 13 with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), 5 with Reiter's syndrome, 2 with psoriatic arthritis). DNA amplification combined with sequence specific oligonucleotide hybridization were used to identify six HLA-B27 gene alleles. In the AS patients group the frequency of HLA-B2705 variant was found to be different significantly from that in healthy West Siberia Caucasians and distribution of HLA-B27 gene allele variants among AS patients in East Russia differed from that in West regions of Russia. DNA typing data can be useful together with other criteria for diagnosis of AS in a early onset.