title: Clinical importance of persistence of anticardiolipin antibodies in systemic lupus erythematosus.
abstract: The clinical importance of IgG anticardiolipin antibodies was investigated in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). IgG anticardiolipin antibodies were found in 69 of 155 (44.5%) patients with SLE. Serial measurements of IgG anticardiolipin antibodies allowed the patients to be classified into two groups: group A, persistently positive for IgG anticardiolipin antibodies; group B, positive only in active phases. The IgG anticardiolipin antibody titre in group A was significantly higher than in group B. The incidence of thromboses, spontaneous abortions, and lupus anticoagulant in group A was significantly higher than in group B (p less than 0.05). By contrast, the incidence of renal diseases and anti-dsDNA antibodies in group B was significantly higher than in group A (p less than 0.05). This study showed that group A formed a separate subgroup of patients with SLE who had a high risk of thromboses and spontaneous abortions despite having milder disease activity.
authors.affiliation: First Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan.
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ishii
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nagasawa
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Mayumi
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Niho
mesh_terms: D000022:Abortion, Spontaneous / Q000209:etiology; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002308:Cardiolipins / Q000276:immunology*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000032:analysis*; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008180:Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011247:Pregnancy; D013927:Thrombosis / Q000209:etiology
chemical_list: D002308:Cardiolipins; D007074:Immunoglobulin G