The cause of Axial Spondyloarthritis is unknown, but the genes that you inherit from your parents might make you more susceptible. Most of the patients with Axial Spondyloarthritis have a gene called HLA-B27. Almost 90% of people with Axial Spondyloarthritis are carriers of HLA-B27.
Other risk factors include history of skin psoriasis, inflammation of the eye (uveitis), inflammatory bowel diseases, and reactive arthritis in the patient or his family members.
Having the HLA-B27 does not mean that you will develop Axial Spondyloarthritis. Only 1-5% of HLA-B27-positive individuals in the general population develop Axial Spondyloarthritis.
