Selection of thrombogenetic antiphospholipid antibodies in cerebrovascular disease patients

Abstract.

Background and Purpose: The association between anticardiolipin antibodies (aCL) and thrombosis is well recognized, but its role as an independent risk factor for stroke is not. The study's aim was to investigate the presence of antiphospholipid antibodies (aPL) and ischemic vascular events by using both traditional means the estimation of aCL and glycoprotein (β₂GP1) antibodies. Additionally both aCL/β₂GP1 and aPLmix/β₂GP1 antibodies were measured. The measurement of these two antibodies was determined by using as target antigens, either cardiolipin alone or a mixture of different phospholipids coated with human β₂GP1 in order to select only the autoimmune antibodies. One hundred and twenty-two consecutive patients with first-ever acute ischemic cerebrovascular event were included and compared with controls. The presence of aCl in patients (20.5 %) and controls (14.7 %) was not significantly different (p = 0.1). The presence of aβ₂GP1 (6.5 % versus 4.9 %, p = 0.7) was also not significant, while there were associations for aCL/b2GP1 13.9 % versus 4.9 % (p = 0.02) and aPLmix/β₂GP1 15.6 % versus 4.9 % (p = 0.01). These latter tests seem to be useful in assessing the autoimmune and therefore the thrombogenetic antibodies.