title: Prevalence of antiphospholipid and antinuclear antibodies in children with epilepsy.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) is an autoimmune disorder characterized by recurrent venous thrombosis or arterial occlusive events and fetal losses associated with elevated levels of antiphospholipid antibodies (aPLs).
  
  
  METHODS
  The presence of antinuclear, anti-beta2-glycoprotein I, and anticardiolipin antibodies were investigated in 60 consecutive children with epilepsy who were followed up in a single Hungarian center.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Almost 50% (28/60) of the patients were ANA positive. Twelve (20%) patients had moderate titer (1:160) of ANA. Anti-C1q antibody was positive in 4 cases, all of them symptom free considering renal manifestation of lupus. Interestingly, only 1 child had aCL antibody, while 6/43 patients were LAC positive. Five were also ANA positive among the LAC positive patients (4 children with moderate titer). Anti-beta2GPI antibody positivity was not detected in this cohort of patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The clinical relevance of aPL tests in childhood are difficult to explain. In the present study, obviously lower total prevalence of aPLs (aCL and anti-beta2GPI) was observed in children with epilepsy than in previously reported investigations (20-30%). The higher amount of LAC-positive patients indicates that coagulation studies (LAC) should be included in the neuroimmunological assessment of suspected APS patients with epileptic disorders. The difference between the results of serological and LAC studies could be explained by the possible positivity of other, uninvestigated antibodies. The wide spectrum of detected immunological alterations highlight the importance of the participation of pediatric rheumatologists in the management of patients with idiopathic epilepsy or with secondary induced autoimmune disease due to antiepileptic medications.
authors.affiliation: 2nd Department of Pediatrics, Semmelweis University, Faculty of Medicine, Budapest, Hungary. ctamas@gyer2.sote.hu
authors.forename: Tamás
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Constantin
authors.forename: Tamás
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kálovics
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ponyi
authors.forename: Eszter
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Nagy
authors.forename: Krisztina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sallai
authors.forename: Léna
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Szabó
authors.forename: Miklós
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Garami
authors.forename: Judit
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Müller
authors.forename: Péter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Gergely
authors.forename: Katalin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Dankó
authors.forename: György
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Fekete
authors.forename: Rozália
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kálmánchey