title: Anticardiolipin antibodies in migraine.
abstract: Antiphospholipid antibodies have occasionally been observed in small series of migraine patients, possibly signalling an immunological pathogenesis in a subgroup. We have measured anticardiolipin antibody levels in a series of 94 migraine patients (35 patients having migraine with aura, 59 without aura), during acute attacks and between attacks. Platelet counts were normal and VDRL was negative in all patients. A low positive anticardiolipin antibody level was found in only one patient, which was negative six months later. There appears to be no association between the presence of anticardiolipin antibodies and migraine. Antiphospholipid antibodies are unlikely to have a material pathogenetic role. Statistically, the incidence of significantly raised anticardiolipin antibody levels in this group of patients does not exceed 4% at a 95% probability level.
authors.affiliation: Princess Margaret Migraine Clinic, Charing Cross and Westminster Medical School, London, UK.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hering
authors.forename: E G
authors.initials: EG
authors.lastname: Couturier
authors.forename: T J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Steiner
authors.forename: R A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Asherson
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Clifford Rose
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000097:blood*; D002308:Cardiolipins / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000032:analysis; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000032:analysis; D008875:Middle Aged; D008881:Migraine Disorders / Q000276:immunology*; D010976:Platelet Count; D013588:Syphilis Serodiagnosis
chemical_list: D001323:Autoantibodies; D002308:Cardiolipins; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007075:Immunoglobulin M