Human Leukocyte Antigen B27 (HLA B27) Test

The HLA-B27 Test is suggested by your healthcare practitioner to know whether your white blood cells have the HLA-B27 protein present on their surface.

Simply put, there are many kinds of HLAs or Human Leukocyte Antigens that can be found on the surface of the white blood cells. These antigens play an important role in identifying the cells that belong to the body and are healthy and also the cells that are foreign and can be dangerous.

Upon recognising any cell as ‘foreign and dangerous, the Human Leukocyte Antigens set out to destroy it to protect your body from any harm that they could have caused. However, the HLA-B27 kind of protein (or antigen) can possibly contribute to the dysfunction of your body’s immune system.

The HLA-B27 protein can lead to your immune system destroying even the healthy cells of your body and so, the presence of HLA-B27 protein on the surface of white blood cells is often associated with autoimmune disorders.

Although merely the presence of the HLA-B27 protein is not a confirmation for having an autoimmune disease, it still puts the person concerned in a more vulnerable position to develop several immune-mediated health disorders like Ankylosing Spondylitis.

Your doctor can suggest you to go for the HLA-B27 Test if you have any of the following symptoms that may be related to an underlying autoimmune disease:

• Stiffness and chronic pain in the back, neck or chest.
• Inflammation in eyes, urethra and joints.
• The appearance of skin lesions.

The occurrence of HLA-B27 protein in the Indian population is not as frequent, and the cases are still very few. However, among the HLA-B27 positive cases, the Indian male population is dominating.

Having the presence of HLA-B27 protein can not be reversed, but it can be treated and managed well.

Other Names For HLA-B27 Test

• Human Leukocyte Antigen B27
• Reactive Arthritis-HLA
• Histocompatibility Leukocyte A Antigen

What does the test detect/measure and who is this prescribed for?

The top three autoimmune disorders that prompt the doctors to suggest their patient to go for the HLA-B27 Test are:

• Ankylosing Spondylitis

This autoimmune disorder is arthritis of the spine and can lead to chronic pain and even disability if left untreated. Although the presence of HLA-B27 protein is not a confirmation for this disease, the HLA-B27 Test is used for the diagnosis of this disorder, often as a primary test.

• Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis

This type of Arthritis is an autoimmune disorder that is prevalent in many children across the world. By suggesting the HLA-B27 Test, doctors plan to use the test results to detect a specific genetic marker that is closely associated with enthesitis-related Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis.

• Anterior Uveitis

Sometimes even the healthiest of people end up developing Uveitis. This is a condition where there is swelling in the middle layer of the eye. However, it is often related to autoimmune disorders as well. For detecting whether the cause is an autoimmune disorder or not, the doctor may want the patient to go for the HLA-B27 Test.

The people who are prescribed the HLA-B27 Test by their healthcare practitioners are usually from any of the following groups:

• People who show some symptoms of an underlying autoimmune disease. Symptoms can be chronic pain in the neck, back and chest and inflammation in the joints.
• People who have a family history of family members having autoimmune diseases of being HLA-B27 positive.
• People who have received an organ transplant.
• People with pre-existing autoimmune disorders. The HLA-B27 Test is used for monitoring the progress of the disease at times.
• Children showing symptoms of chronic pain who may be suffering from a form of Arthritis.

The HLA-B27 Test requires the person to give a blood sample. The HLA-B27 Test blood sample collected from the individual is then evaluated.

Test Preparation

To give the HLA-B27 Test blood sample, there is not much preparation required by you before the sample. You need not fast and may eat and drink as you regularly do before giving the blood sample.

However, if you are taking some medications or vitamin supplements, then you should make sure to check with your doctor before taking medicine or supplements before giving your blood sample.

There are no major risks involved in giving a blood sample for the HLA-B27 Test. However, you may feel dizzy and a little weak after giving your blood sample. If this happens, you should call for someone to help you get back home and rest afterwards.

The HLA-B27 Test results are shown as one of the following:

• HLA-B27 Positive

If your results show that you are HLA-B27 positive, you are at an increased risk of developing several autoimmune diseases like Ankylosing Spondylitis. In addition to being HLA-B27 positive, if you also have chronic pain in your back, neck or chest and have degenerative changes in your bones in the X-Ray, you may probably have an autoimmune disease related to HLA-B27 protein.

This condition is more prevalent in the case of young males and can lead to graver consequences than in females.

• HLA-B27 Negative

This suggests that the genetic marker for the HLA-B27 protein was not detected in the body and you do not have HLA-B27 protein present on the surface of your white blood cells. However, this negative test result should not be directly related to the absence of any autoimmune disorder.

Whether or not you have the HLA-B27 protein on the surface of your white blood cells is very closely related to the genes that you have been passed on from your family members.

Sometimes, people with HLA-B27 positive results end up not developing any autoimmune disease despite having the protein in their body. But, if suppose two of your family members have HLA-B27 positive test results and one of them develops an autoimmune disorder, then the other member is at an increased risk of developing an immune-mediated disease as well.

Ankylosing spondylitis, Psoriatic arthritis, Reactive arthritis

An HLA B27 test can have varying costs depending on the city and the laboratory. Typically, the price for an HLA B27 test falls between INR 1549 and INR 4499. Here's a breakdown of the average expenses for an HLA B27 test in select major cities in India: