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Prevalence of HLA-B27 in Moroccan healthy subjects and patients with ankylosing spondylitis and mapping construction of several factors influencing AS diagnosis by using multiple correspondence analysis

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Abstract

The aim of the present study was to determine the prevalence of human leukocyte antigen HLA-B27 in Moroccan healthy controls and in patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS), and to analyze the correlation between HLA-B27 and AS in Moroccan patients. The prevalence of HLA-B27 was determined by evaluating the number of HLA-B27-positive samples in 128 healthy subjects and in 53 patients diagnosed with AS according to the ESSG and AMOR criteria. HLA-B27 was determined by the polymerase chain reaction using sequence-specific primers. Multivariate analysis of our data (HLA-B27, age, sex, and family history) for AS and healthy controls was performed by multiple correspondence analysis (MCA). The frequency of HLA-B27 was significantly greater in AS patients (45.3 %) than in healthy controls (4.7 %) [p < 0.0001, OR 16.8, and CI 95 % (5.83–51.03)]. In addition, HLA-B27 was more common in male patients than in female ones (p < 0.05). 100 % of the AS patients reported a family history of AS, whereas only 20 % of the healthy controls reported a family history of AS. The graphical interpretation of MCA showed a significant relation between the presence of HLA-B27 and AS. This study strengthens the link between HLA-B27 and AS and represents a very valuable informative diagnostic tool, especially in regard to male patients who have a family history of AS.

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Acknowledgments

The current study was supported by Mohammed V-Agdal University “plan d’urgence” research grant. We would like to thank all patients and healthy controls for their participation. We are sincerely grateful to the clinicians and nurses for their contribution to the clinical examinations and blood collection. The authors wish to express their gratitude to Denis Groleau, Professor at Chemical and Biotechnological engineering department, Faculté de Génie, University of Sherbrooke, for his help in this study and Mounia Akassou for computing assistance.

Authors’ contributions

All authors contributed to the conduct of the research and writing of this manuscript. Authors reviewed and approved the final version of the manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratory of Biochemistry and Immunology, Faculty of Sciences, University Mohammed V-Agdal, Avenue Ibn Battouta, BP1014, Rabat, Morocco

    Amal Akassou, Afaf Jamil, Nadia Dakka, Saaïd Amzazi, Khalid Sadki & Youssef Bakri

  2. Rheumatology Department, Mohammed VI Medical Center, Marrakesh, Morocco

    Hanae Yacoubi, Redouane Niamane & Selma Elhassani

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  1. Amal Akassou
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  2. Hanae Yacoubi
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Correspondence to Amal Akassou.

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Akassou, A., Yacoubi, H., Jamil, A. et al. Prevalence of HLA-B27 in Moroccan healthy subjects and patients with ankylosing spondylitis and mapping construction of several factors influencing AS diagnosis by using multiple correspondence analysis. Rheumatol Int 35, 1889–1894 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00296-015-3342-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00296-015-3342-x

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