Antiphospholipid antibodies in patients with autoimmune blistering disease.
OBJECTIVE
Our purpose was to determine the serum levels and frequency of antiphospholipid antibodies (aPLs) and confirm the clinical importance of these antibodies in patients with autoimmune blistering disease (ABD).


METHODS
IgG and IgM anticardiolipin antibodies (aCL), IgG anticardiolipin-beta(2) glycoprotein I complex antibody (aCL/beta(2)GPI), and IgG antiphosphatidylserine-prothrombin complex antibody (aPS/PT) were examined with an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in 71 patients with ABD, including pemphigus vulgaris, pemphigus foliaceus, and bullous pemphigoid.


RESULTS
The prevalence of IgG aCL, IgM aCL, aCL/beta(2)GPI, and IgG aPS/PT was positive for 22.4%, 9.1%, 9.9%, and 25.4% of the ABD patients, respectively, whereas these antibodies were not detected in any of the normal control subjects. Ten of 20 patients with ABD who were attending our hospital in 2004 tested positive for aPLs, and thromboembolism was detected in 7 of 10 patients with aPLs.


CONCLUSIONS
Follow-up studies, especially with a large patient group, will be needed to clarify the clinical relevance of aPLs in ABD.


CONCLUSIONS
aPLs are frequently detected in patients with ABD. Careful examination and follow-up for thromboembolism may be necessary in ABD patients with aPLs.
Echigo
Takeshi
T
Department of Dermatology, Kanazawa University Graduate School of Medical Science, Ishikawa 920-8641, Japan.
Hasegawa
Minoru
M
Inaoki
Makoto
M
Yamazaki
Masahide
M
Sato
Shinichi
S
Takehara
Kazuhiko
K
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D017152:Antibodies, Antiphospholipid / Q000097:blood*; D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology*; D001768:Blister / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology*; D002308:Cardiolipins / Q000276:immunology; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000378:metabolism; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010391:Pemphigoid, Bullous / Q000276:immunology; D010392:Pemphigus / Q000276:immunology; D010718:Phosphatidylserines / Q000276:immunology; D011516:Prothrombin / Q000276:immunology; D013923:Thromboembolism / Q000150:complications; D053482:beta 2-Glycoprotein I / Q000276:immunology
D017152:Antibodies, Antiphospholipid; D002308:Cardiolipins; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007075:Immunoglobulin M; D010718:Phosphatidylserines; D053482:beta 2-Glycoprotein I; D011516:Prothrombin