ANTICARDIOLIPIN ANTIBODIES - CLINICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF ANTIBODY-POSITIVE PATIENTS WITH RECENT CEREBROVASCULAR EVENTS

Using a solid-phase enzyme-immunosorbent assay in sera of 84 patients with recent transient ischemic attack, ischemic stroke, or deep intracerebral hemorrhage, anticardiolipin antibodies (ACLA) were found in 34 cases (40%; 95% confidence interval = 30-51%). Thirteen patients had class IgM antibodies, 11 had class IgG antibodies, and 10 had antibodies belonging to both classes. Patients with ACLA more frequently had histories of previous cerebrovascular events (CVE) (44 vs. 16%) and clinical features of occlusive peripheral vascular disease (76 vs. 38%) than patients without antibodies. The distribution of other stroke risk factors was similar in both groups. Further clinical observations are needed to establish the significance of ACLA in the pathogenesis of CVE.