ANTIPHOSPHOLIPID ANTIBODIES - A DISEASE MARKER IN 25 PATIENTS WITH ANTINUCLEAR ANTIBODY NEGATIVE SYSTEMIC LUPUS-ERYTHEMATOSUS (SLE) - COMPARISON WITH A GROUP OF 91 PATIENTS WITH ANTINUCLEAR ANTIBODY POSITIVE SLE

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  • 1 June 1987
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 14  (3) , 502-506
Abstract
Twenty-five antinuclear antibody (ANA) negative patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) or lupus-like disease were compared to 91 ANA positive patients with SLE for clinical biological symptoms. Cutaneous symptoms were infrequent in ANA negative patients (p < 0.01). Thrombocytopenia (p < 0.001), venous or arterial thrombosis (p < 0.02) as well as cerebral infarction (p < 0.001) were more frequent. Three types of antiphospholipid antibodies were determined by different methods; the VDRL, the lupus anticoagulant and an ELISA for IgG anticardiolipin antibody (aCL). The frequency of a positive VDRL test was significantly higher in the ANA negative group (p < 0.05). Correlation studies suggest that the 3 methods are not redundant and detect overlapping but not identical antibodies. Of the 3 antiphospholipid antibody assays, only the IgG aCL test was significantly associated with thrombosis in the ANA negative group (p < 0.02).