Ankylosing Spondylitis, Ophthalmologic Perspective (cont.)
Medical Author:
Andrew A. Dahl, MD, FACS
Andrew A. Dahl, MD, FACSAndrew A. Dahl, MD, is a board-certified ophthalmologist. Dr. Dahl's educational background includes a BA with Honors and Distinction from Wesleyan University, Middletown, CT, and an MD from Cornell University, where he was selected for Alpha Omega Alpha, the national medical honor society. He had an internal medical internship at the New York Hospital/Cornell Medical Center. Medical Editor:
Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, Chief Medical Editor
Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, Chief Medical EditorMelissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, is a U.S. board-certified Anatomic Pathologist with subspecialty training in the fields of Experimental and Molecular Pathology. Dr. Stöppler's educational background includes a BA with Highest Distinction from the University of Virginia and an MD from the University of North Carolina. She completed residency training in Anatomic Pathology at Georgetown University followed by subspecialty fellowship training in molecular diagnostics and experimental pathology. IN THIS ARTICLEHLA-B27 GeneA specific gene for the HLA-B27 tissue type is present in many people who have ankylosing spondylitis. Of people with ankylosing spondylitis, 80%-95% also have the gene for HLA-B27. This does not mean, however, that a person will automatically get ankylosing spondylitis if he or she has the gene. Although about 8% of Americans have the gene for HLA-B27, less than 1% of the population actually has or will develop ankylosing spondylitis. However, if a person is thought to have ankylosing spondylitis, a blood test is useful to determine if that person has the gene for HLA-B27. In the early stages of ankylosing spondylitis, determining a definite diagnosis is sometimes difficult. If a person has the specific signs and symptoms of ankylosing spondylitis and he or she has the gene for HLA-B27, the diagnosis of ankylosing spondylitis is likely correct. |
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Ankylosing Spondylitis »
Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is a chronic, progressive inflammatory disorder primarily affecting the axial skeleton.
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