title: High frequency of antiphospholipid antibodies in primary biliary cirrhosis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate, retrospectively, the frequency of autoantibodies of antiphospholipid syndrome (APLS) in Tunisian patients with primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC).
  
  
  METHODS
  We analyzed 80 PBC sera and 80 sera from blood donors. ELISA was used to determine the frequency of antibodies against cardiolipin (aCL IgG, IgA, and IgM) and beta 2 glycoprotein I (aβ2GPI IgG, IgA, and IgM).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The frequency of antiphospholipid antibodies (aCL and/or aβ2GPI) was significantly higher in PBC patients than in controls (70 vs. 5%, P < 10(-6)). The frequency of aCL antibodies (IgG, IgA or IgM) was significantly higher in PBC patients than in the control group (23.7 vs. 3.7%, P = 0.0005). The frequencies of aCL IgA and aCL IgM in PBC patients' sera were significantly higher than those in the control group (10 vs. 0%, P = 0.003 and 20 vs. 2.5%, P = 0.001, respectively). Two patients of eighty (2.5%) had aCL IgG, aCL IgA and aCL IgM. The frequency of aβ2GPI antibodies (IgG, IgA, or IgM) was significantly higher in PBC patients than in the control group (70 vs. 1.2%, P < 10(-6)). The frequencies of aβ2GPI IgG, aβ2GPI IgA, and aβ2GPI IgM in PBC patients' sera were significantly higher in patients than in the control group (12.5 vs. 0%, P = 0.003; 62.5 vs. 1.2%, P < 10(-6); and 21.2 vs. 0%, P < 10(-4), respectively).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Autoantibodies related to APLS (aCL and aβ2GPI) were present in the majority of patients with PBC, reflecting the ability of these antibodies to engage mediators of damage.
authors.affiliation: Research Unit (03/UR/07-02), Faculty of Pharmacy, Monastir University, Monastir, Tunisia; High School of Sciences and Techniques of Health, Tunis el Manar University, Tunis, Tunisia.
authors.forename: Amani
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mankaï
authors.forename: Wiem
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Manoubi
authors.forename: Mariam
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ghozzi
authors.forename: Sarra
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Melayah
authors.forename: Wahiba
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Sakly
authors.forename: Ibtissem
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Ghedira
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000906:Antibodies / Q000097:blood*; D017152:Antibodies, Antiphospholipid / Q000097:blood*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008105:Liver Cirrhosis, Biliary / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D055815:Young Adult; D053482:beta 2-Glycoprotein I / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000906:Antibodies; D017152:Antibodies, Antiphospholipid; D053482:beta 2-Glycoprotein I
keywords: Tunisia; anti-beta 2 glycoprotein I antibodies; anticardiolipin antibodies; antiphospholipid antibodies; primary biliary cirrhosis