HLA-antigens and pulmonary upper lobe fibrocystic changes with and without ankylosing spondylitis. A report of seven cases.

Seven patients with remarkably similar progressing pulmonary apical fibrocystic disease are presented. Active tuberculosis was excluded, antituberculous chemotherapy had no effect on the pulmonary lesions. One of the patients had the typical clinical picture of Reiter's syndrome, the other that of ankylosing spondylitis. HLA-antigens were determined in all seven cases, only two patients, one with Reiter's syndrome and another with ankylosing spondylitis, had the HLA-B27 antigen.