Antiphospholipid antibodies in 57 children and adolescents with systemic lupus erythematosus.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the frequencies and behavior of antiphospholipid antibodies in 57 children and adolescents with systemic lupus erythematosus.


METHODS
Anticardiolipin antibodies were investigated by ELISA and lupus anticoagulant antibodies by the international tests recommended. The antiphospholipid antibodies analyses were performed in frozen samples (mean of 5.3 samples per patient obtained during a mean follow-up period of 3 years and 7 months) and on blood samples collected between January 1997 and November 1998 (mean of 2.5 samples per patient during a 2-year follow-up period).


RESULTS
The frequencies of antiphospholipid antibodies (anticardiolipin and lupus anticoagulant) were similar in the samples collected prospectively and in the frozen samples (retrospective study): 63.2% and 75.4% respectively. Positivity for these antibodies fluctuated during the follow-up period and was not associated with any clinical or laboratory parameters of lupus erythematosus, including autoantibodies and also including disease activity and/or severity scores.


CONCLUSIONS
The frequencies of antiphospholipid antibodies in children and adolescents with lupus erythematosus were similar to those observed in adults. The positivity fluctuated during the follow-up and was not correlated with clinical and/or laboratory disease parameters.
Campos
Lúcia Maria de Arruda
LM
Paediatric Rheumatology Unit of the Children's Institute and Haematology Unit, Hospital das Clínicas, Faculty of Medicine, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
Kiss
Maria Helena B
MH
D'Amico
Elbio A
EA
Silva
Clóvis Artur Almeida
CA
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017153:Antibodies, Anticardiolipin / Q000097:blood; D017152:Antibodies, Antiphospholipid / Q000097:blood*; D016736:Antiphospholipid Syndrome / Q000276:immunology*; D002648:Child; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008180:Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012189:Retrospective Studies
D017153:Antibodies, Anticardiolipin; D017152:Antibodies, Antiphospholipid