antiphospholipid syndrome Anti-β2-glycoprotein I antibodies: A useful marker for the antiphospholipid syndrome

Abstract

We studied anti-β2-glycoprotein I antibodies (aβ2GPI) in autoimmune disease patients to evaluate their relationship to clinical findings. Seventy-nine systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients [44 with antiphospholipid antibodies (aPL)], 21 with primary antiphospholipid syndrome (APS), eight asymptomatic individuals with aPL and 60 controls were studied. Sixteen SLE patients (14 with aPL and two without aPL) and six with primary APS had aβ2GPI. A significant relationship was found between aβ2GPI and aPL (P < 0.01). In SLE, a significant correlation was found between previous thrombosis or thrombocytopenia and aβ2GPI or aβ2GPI + aPL, but not between fetal losses and aβ2GPI. These data suggest that aβ2GPI may be useful in the study of APS.