title: Antiphospholipid antibodies in ocular arterial and venous occlusive disease.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  It was the aim of this study to evaluate antiphospholipid antibodies (APA), i.e. lupus anticoagulants (LA) and anticardiolipin (ACA) IgG and IgM, in ophthalmic occlusive disease.
  
  
  METHODS
  Over a 3.5-year period, APA were evaluated in 368 patients.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Eighty-six patients (23.4%), compared to 5% in the general population, tested positive for APA. APA did not differ significantly between patients with venous (20.6%) or arterial (25.5%) occlusive disease. This included 93 patients with central retinal vein occlusion (18% APA positive), 67 with retinal branch vein occlusion (24% APA positive), 41 with central retinal artery occlusion (22% APA positive), 53 with retinal branch artery occlusion (32% APA positive), 71 with anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (23% APA positive), 12 with posterior ischemic optic neuropathy (33% APA positive) and 31 patients with amaurosis fugax (23% APA positive). Excluding patients with accepted main risk factors, APA were positive in 15.3% of 85 patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The high APA prevalence confirms its relevance in ocular occlusive disorders.
authors.affiliation: Eye Hospital, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland. palmowskiA@uhbs.ch
authors.forename: Anja M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Palmowski-Wolfe
authors.forename: Elke
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Denninger
authors.forename: Jurgen
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Geisel
authors.forename: Gerhard
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Pindur
authors.forename: Klaus W
authors.initials: KW
authors.lastname: Ruprecht
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D020757:Amaurosis Fugax / Q000276:immunology; D017153:Antibodies, Anticardiolipin / Q000097:blood*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000032:analysis; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000032:analysis; D016682:Lupus Coagulation Inhibitor / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D018917:Optic Neuropathy, Ischemic / Q000276:immunology; D015356:Retinal Artery Occlusion / Q000276:immunology*; D012170:Retinal Vein Occlusion / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D017153:Antibodies, Anticardiolipin; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007075:Immunoglobulin M; D016682:Lupus Coagulation Inhibitor