title: Assessment of anti-prothrombin antibodies in thrombosis complicating inflammatory bowel diseases.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  In inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD), risk of thrombosis and production of antibodies are increased. In autoimmune and inflammatory disorders, a role of anti-prothrombin (aPT) antibodies in developing thrombosis has been hypothesised. The aim of the study is to evaluate the prevalence of aPT antibodies in IBD patients, with and without thrombosis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty-three IBD patients with thrombosis, 33 IBD patients without thrombosis matched for sex, age, diagnosis and disease activity and 66 sex- and age-matched healthy controls were enrolled. Thrombosis was considered recent when blood sample was obtained within 3 months from the event.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Prevalence of aPT antibodies in thrombotic IBD patients (3/33, 9.1 %), non-thrombotic IBD patients (4/33, 12.1 %) and in healthy subjects (3/66, 4.5 %) did not result significantly different (p = 0.377). The prevalence of aPT antibodies was more frequent in ulcerative colitis (6/32, 18.7 %) than in Crohn's disease (1/34, 2.9 %) and healthy controls (p = 0.022). Among thrombotic IBD patients, the prevalence of aPT antibodies was higher in those with recent (2/9, 22.2 %) than in those with previous thrombosis (1/24, 4.2 %) (p = 0.103). All thrombotic IBD patients with aPT antibodies were affected by ulcerative colitis with previous history of deep venous thrombosis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  aPT antibodies do not appear to play a relevant role in thrombosis complicating IBD course. A possible association in ulcerative colitis patients with DVT could not be excluded.
authors.affiliation: Unit of Internal Medicine and Hepatology, Azienda Ospedaliera Fatebenefratelli and Oftalmico, Milan, Italy. saibo@tiscali.it
authors.forename: Simone
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Saibeni
authors.forename: Maria J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Etchevers
authors.forename: Dolors
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Tassies
authors.forename: Julián
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Panés
authors.forename: Joan C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Reverter
authors.forename: Silvio
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Danese
authors.forename: Josep M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Piqué
authors.forename: Savino
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bruno
authors.forename: Maurizio
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Vecchi
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gasbarrini
authors.forename: Miquel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sans
mesh_terms: D000906:Antibodies / Q000097:blood*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003710:Demography; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015212:Inflammatory Bowel Diseases / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011516:Prothrombin / Q000276:immunology*; D013927:Thrombosis / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000906:Antibodies; D011516:Prothrombin