Hi Amber

I am aware that not all B27+ get AS. I extracted the quote below from this website -

"It is estimated that approximately 7% of the conglomerate human population has the characteristic marker antigen B27, but less than 20% of these will get AS. Of these, perhaps 35% will actually require diagnosis and treatment; most will be either sub-clinical (not ill enough to warrant medical attention), or have totally inconsequential or unnoticed levels of this condition. "

Based on these figures, those who will have a real problem represent about 1 in 15. Still quite a worrying proportion. I am soon going to get a second opinion about my own condition from another RA specialist and will ask him whether any change in lifestyle for the kids would be justified based on the B27+ testing. I played basketball, football and bowled fast (cricket) in my youth and had disk problems from my early 20's and later a spinal fusion in the lower back. Should I steer the kids away from sport involving jumping and compression of the spine? Whether or not my disk problems are related to the B27 they still inherit the whole package.

Our family doctor knows the kids are B27+ and that is enough I think at present. My daughter already has a knee complaint I had about the same age (Schlatter's disease) but this is growth related and I doubt it has anything to do with B27. However I intend to tell them sometime - either when they move away from us and our doctor, or when there is some skeletal related ill-health. I cannot help thinking I would have been angry with my parents if they had known and withheld the information from me.

You didn't mention other relatives. I had an aunt who was wheel-chair ridden for most of her life with "arthritis" (unknown variety); a half-brother who told me all the disks in his spine were flattened; one cousin who had a mystery complaint affecting his body which was eventually put down to a lack of gold; another cousin who has her neck in a brace. All of these are on my father's side and I have notified them all in writing (except the first who is now dead) but no other relatives. But none have replied either by phone or in writing! I feel I have done my part - whatever they do with the information is their business.

Thanks for replying

Wally