title: Presence of high avidity anticardiolipin antibodies in patients with autoimmune cholestatic liver diseases.
abstract: We studied the prevalence and clinical significance of anticardiolipin antibodies (aCL) in primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) and primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) as similar data are missing. Ninety-nine PBC patients, 41 PSC, 228 HCV, 50 HBV, 111 with other non-viral and non-autoimmune liver disorders and 267 healthy were investigated. In order to evaluate the avidity of aCL, urea 2 M was used. IgG and/or IgM aCL were detected in 40% of PBC and PSC patients, in 26.2% of disease controls (P < 0.05) and 2.25% of healthy (P < 0.05). In PBC, IgG aCL associated with presence of cirrhosis, increased Mayo risk score and thrombocytopenia, while in PSC with longer disease duration and biochemical activity. Anti-beta2-GPI was detected in only three patients. Both in PBC and PSC, resistance of aCL to urea was high, similar to that observed in antiphospholipid syndrome (APS). We demonstrated a significantly higher prevalence of aCL in PBC and PSC compared to other liver diseases and healthy. aCL were associated with more severe disease in PBC and biochemical activity in PSC, but they rather seem to be "non-pathogenic" (co-factor-independent). However, their avidity was comparable with that of APS, indicating the need for prospective studies in order to address whether aCL in PBC and PSC may contribute to APS development or the progression of hepatic disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Research Laboratory of Internal Medicine, Medical School, University of Thessaly, Larissa, Greece.
authors.forename: Kalliopi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Zachou
authors.forename: Christos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Liaskos
authors.forename: Eirini
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Rigopoulou
authors.forename: Stela
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gabeta
authors.forename: Panagiotis
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Papamichalis
authors.forename: Nikolaos
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Gatselis
authors.forename: Sarah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Georgiadou
authors.forename: George N
authors.initials: GN
authors.lastname: Dalekos
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D017153:Antibodies, Anticardiolipin / Q000097:blood*; D000915:Antibody Affinity; D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology*; D001666:Binding Sites, Antibody; D002780:Cholestasis, Intrahepatic / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged
chemical_list: D017153:Antibodies, Anticardiolipin; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007075:Immunoglobulin M