Chlorpromazine‐induced anticardiolipin antibodies and lupus anticoagulant: Absence of thrombosis

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Abstract
Anticardiolipin antibodies were determined in 96 psychiatric patients treated chronically with chlorpromazine by an enzyme‐linked Immunosorbent assay using anti‐IgM and anti‐IgG (fab'2 fragment) as the second antibody. Fifty‐four of these patients had an IgM‐lupus anticoagulant, and the remaining 42 were followed as controls. Elevated IgM‐anticardiolipin antibodies (ACA) levels were detected in 31 patients with the lupus anticoagulant and in 5 controls (p<0.001). During a median followup of 5 years, single episodes of deep vein thrombosis or pulmonary embolism occurred in three patients; one had the lupus anticoagulant and the other two had low‐level ACA. Contrary to the reported experience in systemic lupus erythematosus and related autoimmune disorders, chlorpromazine‐induced lupus anticoagulant and anticardiolipin antibodies levels appear not to be associated with an increased incidence of thrombosis.