Aspirin reduces anticardiolipin antibodies in patients with coronary artery disease.
BACKGROUND
Anticardiolipin antibodies (aCL) have been found to be elevated in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) and have been associated with an adverse outcome owing to their prothrombotic activity. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of aspirin treatment on aCL levels in patients with chronic CAD.


METHODS
Forty patients with chronic CAD scheduled for elective coronary artery bypass graft surgery (CABG) and 40 healthy controls participated in the study. Patients were treated with 300 mg of aspirin once daily (o.d.) for the first 12 days and placebo for the following 12 days before CABG in a double-blind, cross-over trial. Immunoglobulin (Ig) G-, IgM-, IgA-aCL and C-reactive protein (CRP) levels were measured in the controls and at the end of each treatment period in the patients with CAD.


RESULTS
The IgA- and IgG-aCL levels were greater in patients with CAD than in the controls. Compared with the placebo, IgA, IgG subtypes and CRP levels were reduced after aspirin treatment (P = 0.001, P = 0.02, P = 0.04, respectively). The percentage reduction of IgA- and IgG-aCL was related to the percentage reduction of CRP after aspirin (P < 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
Aspirin treatment with 300 mg o.d. reduced the serum levels of IgA and IgG subtypes in patients with chronic CAD in parallel to a reduction in CRP. These findings offer an additional pathophysiological mechanism of the beneficial effects of aspirin in patients with chronic CAD.
Ikonomidis
I
I
Second Cardiology Department, Attikon University Hospital, University of Athens, N Chalkidona, Athens, Greece. ignoik@otenet.gr
Lekakis
J
J
Vamvakou
G
G
Loizou
S
S
Revela
I
I
Andreotti
F
F
Kremastinos
D Th
DT
Nihoyannopoulos
P
P
D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D017153:Antibodies, Anticardiolipin / Q000097:blood / Q000187:drug effects*; D001241:Aspirin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000188:drug therapy*; D018592:Cross-Over Studies; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged
D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; D017153:Antibodies, Anticardiolipin; D001241:Aspirin