title: Antiphospholipid antibodies as a possible risk factor for atherosclerosis in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.
abstract: Atherosclerosis shares many similarities with inflammatory and autoimmune diseases, among them rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Anticardiolipin antibodies (aCL) and antibodies against beta2-glycoprotein I (anti-beta2GPI) have been detected in sera of RA patients in several studies. We demonstrated aCL and anti-beta2GPI in a selected group of 70 patients with RA (premenopausal women, non-diabetic, non-hypertensive) and compared them with age- and sex-matched controls. There was a significant higher internal carotid artery intima-media thickness and number of plaques in RA patients compared to controls. aCL of IgG and IgM classes were present in 15.7% of RA patients as compared to 5% in the control group. Thirty percent of RA patients had anti-beta2GPI of IgG, IgM and IgA classes compared to 7.5% in controls. Major differences were seen in IgG and IgA classes. Our results support the idea that aCL and anti-beta2GPI represent an important risk factor for atherosclerosis in RA patients. Elevated levels of phosphatidylserine-dependent antiprothrombin antibodies did not contribute significantly to the general prevalence of antiphospholipid antibodies.
authors.affiliation: Teaching Hospital, Maribor, Slovenia.
authors.forename: Artur
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pahor
authors.forename: Radovan
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hojs
authors.forename: Iztok
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Holc
authors.forename: Ales
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ambrozic
authors.forename: Sasa
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Cucnik
authors.forename: Tanja
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kveder
authors.forename: Blaz
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Rozman
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D017152:Antibodies, Antiphospholipid / Q000097:blood*; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000097:blood*; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000209:etiology*; D002339:Carotid Arteries / Q000473:pathology; D002340:Carotid Artery Diseases / Q000209:etiology; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D017697:Premenopause; D012307:Risk Factors
chemical_list: D017152:Antibodies, Antiphospholipid