Anticardiolipin antibodies do not mediate macrovascular complications of type 2 diabetes

The relationship of anticardiolipin antibodies (ACA), markers of the antiphospholipid syndrome, with vascular complications of diabetes mellitus is polemic. This cross-sectional study assessed the frequency of IgG, IgM, and IgA ACA in type 2 diabetics with and without history of vascular events for the last 5 years, and in healthy controls. ACA were detected by enzyme immunoassay. A total of 73 type 2 diabetics (33 with history of vascular events) and 54 healthy controls were tested. Most diabetics were female (p = 0.003), and older than controls (p 0.09). ACA positivity rates were also similar when diabetics with and without history of vasculopathy were compared (p > 0.47). After adjusting for gender, age, hypertension, and smoking status, a weak but statistically insignificant association between IgM ACA and diabetics with vasculopathy was found (adjusted OR 2.7;95% CI 0.2 - 34.2;p = 0.441). Overall, levels of IgG (r = 0.25;p = 0.005) and IgM (r = 0.23;p = 0.010) ACA were associated with increasing age. In short, the frequency of a positive ACA test in type 2 diabetics (with or without previous macrovasculopathy) was not significant as compared to healthy controls. There was no association of ACA with vascular events in patients with type 2 diabetes.

Association between the Presence of Serumanti-Cardiolipin Antibodies and Infertility

Background: Infertility is a common problem affecting 15% - 20% of couples. The increased incidence of anticardiolipin (ACL) antibodies in infertile women supports the contention that these autoantibodies contribute to the infertility. Objectives: To investigate whether there is an association between the presence of serum ACL antibodies and infertility in both men and women in Diyala province. Subjects and methods: The present study was conducted in Baquba city for the period from October 2013 to November 2014. Subjects included in this study were chosen from those attending Baquba Teaching Hospital, Al-Batool Teaching Hospital for Maternity and Children and some Primary Health Care Centers in Baquba. The subjects were categorized as follows: 30 apparently healthy males with age ranged between (18 - 45) years;30 apparently healthy women (age range: 18 - 47 years) had at least two live births without any miscarriages;25 women (age range: 18 - 43 years) had reproductive failure for at least one year of marriage;30 women (age range: 24 - 44 years) with at least one live birth had no pregnancy for at least two years after last child;40 males with primary infertility (no children after at least five years of marriage and their active sperm count was zero). Detection of anti-ACL IgG and IgM was done using enzyme-linked immunosorbant assay (ELISA) commercial kits (Wendell/Shelm/Germany). All data were statistically analyzed. Results: The results revealed that the anti-ACL IgM positivity rate was significantly higher among women with primary fertility compared to healthy women (p = 0.006). Similarly, the anti-ACL IgM and anti-ACL IgG were significantly among women with secondary infertility compared to healthy women (p = 0.012) and (p = 0.038) respectively. Although the anti-ACL IgG and IgM positivity rate among men with primary infertility was higher than that of healthy control. However, the differences were failed to reach the statistical significance (p = 0.07) and (p = 0.31) respectively. Conclusion: The presence of high levels of anticardiolipin antibodies in women with primary and secondary infertility as well as in men with primary infertility may support the contention that these autoantibodies contribute to the infertility in both sexes.

Study on Relationship between Anticardiolipin Antibody and Cerebrovascular Diseases

Summary: Serum anticardiolipin antibody (ACA) was measured in 91 patients with cerebral infarction (CI), 42 patients with cerebral hemorrhage (CH) and 30 healthy controls. The results showed that the ACA in CI and CH patients was significantly higher than in controls and IgG ACA was the most important isotype. Stroke in ACA positive group tended to be recurrent and of multi focuses. Positive rate of IgG ACA reached its peak within the first week after stroke onset. The results suggested that ACA was an independent risk factor in CI and CH and might be valuable in stroke prediction.

RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN CYTOMEGALOVIRUS INFECTION AND THE PRODUCTION OF ANTICARDIOLIPIN ANTIBODY IN RENAL TRANSPLANT RECIPIENTS

Objective To investigate the relationship between cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection and the production of anticardiolipin antibody (ACA) in renal transplant recipients.Methods Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used qualitatively for detection of CMV DNA in 146 renal transplant recipients.Meanwhile,enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used for detection of ACA IgG in blood serum samples from these recipients and 32 healthy individuals. Results The ACA positive rate was 17.1% among the 146 renal transplant recipients,and that of the control group was 6.3%.There was no significant difference.However,the ACA positive rate of the renal transplant recipients infected with CMV was 31.2%.It was clearly higher than that of those with no infection of CMV and that of the control group ( P <0.005). Conclusion The production of ACA was closely related to CMV infection.It might be one of the factors of chronic angiopathy of the transplanted kidney due to CMV infection.

Relationship between serum antisperm antibodies and anticardiolipin antibodies and clinical pregnancy outcome in an in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer program

Objective To study the influence of maternal immunological factors on clinical pregnancy outcome in an in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer (IVF ET) program. Methods One hundred and fifty IVF ET treatment cycles from November 1995 to November 1996 were studied. The indication for IVF ET treatment was bilateral blocked tubes. Serum antisperm antibodies and anticardiolipin antibodies were measured using enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Cleavage rate and successful pregnancy rate in relation to antibody status of infertile women after IVF ET treatment were assessed. Results Lower cleavage rate (64.2%±32.1%) was found in 44 cycles of antisperm antibody seropositive women, compared with 84.8%±18.7% in 106 cycles of seronegative women (P<0.05). The clinical pregnancy rate was 31.8% in antisperm antibody positive cycles and 20.8% in negative cycles (P> 0.05). The abortion rates of the two groups were similar (P>0.05). Lower pregnancy rate (9.5%) was found in 21 cycles of serum anticardiolipin antibody positive group, compared with 26.3% in 129 cycles of seronegative women (P<0.05). Of patients with bio chemical pregnancy and no pregnancy, 20.0% and 16.2%, respectively, had seropositive anticardiolipin antibody, compared with 5.6% of patients with clinical pregnancy (P<0.05). Conclusion Serum immunological factors may play a part in clinical pregnancy outcome in IVF ET.

Bilateral Carotid Aneurysms Secondary to Catastrophic Antiphospholipid Syndrome in a Patient with Differential Diagnosis of Polyarteritis Nodosa

Background: Extracranial Carotid Artery Aneurysm is considered a therapeutic and diagnostic challenge. In an unprecedented way in the literature, we describe an aneurysm originating from the Catastrophic Antiphospholipid Syndrome. Case Presentation: A 25-year-old male patient came to the Emergency Room of the ABC University Hospital in Sao Bernardo do Campo referring to bilateral neck pain for 1 month, associated with carotid aneurysms. Due to the severity and urgency of the clinical condition, immediate surgical therapy was performed without a definitive etiological diagnosis. The initial morphological analysis of the carotid artery suggested a diagnosis of Polyarteritis Nodosa. After anamnesis, physical examination, the use of a specific primary vasculitis algorithm, and a review of the pathological anatomy was requested, which showed bilateral carotid aneurysms secondary to catastrophic antiphospholipid syndrome. Conclusion: It remains evident that Extracranial Carotid Artery Aneurysm-related morbidity and mortality caused by Catastrophic Antiphospholipid Syndrome are influenced by a quick and correct diagnosis.

Myocardial infarction in antiphospholipid antibody syndrome

A 52-year-old man was admitted to hospital with chest pain after physical activity. Emergency coronary angiography showed multiple throm-boembolic occlusions in the anterior descen-ding coronary artery and in the right coronary artery. Further testing revealed anticardiolipin and ?2-glicoprotein antibodies (the patient had been diagnosed for ulcerative colitis and poly-myalgia rheumatica). Heparin and nitrate were administered intravenously in addition to oral aspirin and metoprolol. Soon after, the patient referred a withdrawal of chest oppression, and his general clinical condition rapidly stabilised. A follow-up examination was performed 9 months later the discharge: he had resumed most of his activities and sieric concentration of lupus anticoagulant antibodies and anticardiolipin an- tibodies, IgM isotype, were decreased.