[Acute anterior uveitis and HLA].

50 patients with acute anterior uveitis and 52 controls were studied their typing with HLA-A, -B, -C antigens. It was found that HLA-B27 occurred in 23 (46%) of the 50 patients, but only in 2 (3.9%) of the 52 controls (P less than 0.001). With reference to the clinical features, the HLA-B27 positive patients were characterized by their predilection for the male and severe visual impairment with white fine KP, strong Tyndall's phenomenon and marked reaction in the anterior chamber, and little posterior synechia of iris. Of particular interest was that 14 (60.9%) of the 23 HLA-B27 positive patients had plastic exudates in the anterior chamber, while this occurred only in one of the 27 HLA-B27 negative patients who had mutton fat KP. It seemed that there was an association between the plastic exudates in the anterior chamber and HLA-B27, and the clinical significance was discussed.