Spinal abnormalities similar to ankylosing spondylitis in a 58-year-old woman with ochronosis.

Ochronotic arthropathy (spondylosis or peripheral arthropathy) is a late complication of alkaptonuria. There is a tendency for HLA-B27 positive patients with alkaptonuria to develop ochronotic spondylosis. A 58-year-old white woman, presented with ochronotic spondylosis. She was HLA-B27 positive. Her family history was positive for alkaptonuria. Ochronotic patients with HLA-B27 positivity develop spinal changes similar to ankylosing spondylitis (AS).