Anticardiolipin antibodies in Hashimoto's disease.
OBJECTIVE
To ascertain the presence and significance of anticardiolipin antibodies in patients with Hashimoto's disease.


METHODS
We studied 19 patients (15 women and 4 men; age range, 26 to 79 years) with Hashimoto's disease. IgA, IgG, and IgM anticardiolipin antibodies were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.


RESULTS
Of the 19 study patients, 4 (21%) tested positive for anticardiolipin antibodies (IgG in 2 and IgM in 2). Patients with anticardiolipin antibodies did not exhibit a higher titer of antithyroglobulin or anti-thyroid peroxidase antibodies in comparison with patients without anticardiolipin antibodies. Moreover, no relationship was found between anticardiolipin antibody levels and thyroid hormone replacement therapy. None of the patients with high levels of IgG or IgM anticardiolipin antibodies had clinical features of the antiphospholipid syndrome.


CONCLUSIONS
Our results showed an increased incidence of anticardiolipin antibodies in patients with Hashimoto's disease. The presence of these antibodies may be a nonspecific marker of activation of the immune system.
Osundeko
O
O
Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Department of Medicine, Hahnemann University Hospital, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19102, USA.
Hasinski
S
S
Rose
L I
LI
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D017153:Antibodies, Anticardiolipin / Q000032:analysis*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000032:analysis; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000032:analysis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013967:Thyroiditis, Autoimmune / Q000276:immunology*
D017153:Antibodies, Anticardiolipin; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007075:Immunoglobulin M