Genetic markers for acute anterior uveitis.

: One hundred and sixty-nine patients, 82 with acute anterior uveitis (AAU) only, 48 with AAU and ankylosing spondylitis (AS), and 39 with AS only were studied. The HLA antigen A2 was present in 44/82 AAU only, 31/48 AAU + AS, and 23/39 AS only. Where haplotype analysis was possible by virtue of family studies, A2 B27 was present in 7/16 AAU only, 9/15 AAU and AS and 14/29 AS only. These figures do not differ significantly from the expected values of control populations. Alpha-1-antitrypsin (alpha-1-AT) phenotypes were obtained on 30/82 AAU only, 29/48 AAU + AS, and 27/39 AS only patients. The MZ phenotype appeared in 8/86 patients tested; 4/30 with AAU only and 4/29 AAU + AS patients. This is higher than the expected value for control populations. Therefore, MZ alpha-1-AT phenotype but not HLA-A2 appears increased in patients with AAU.