Arterial disease in lupus and secondary antiphospholipid syndrome: association with anti-beta2-glycoprotein I antibodies but not with antibodies against oxidized low-density lipoprotein

The prevalence and clinical significance of antibodies against beta2-glycoprotein I (anti-beta2GPI) and antibodies against oxidized low- densitylipoprotein (anti-ox-LDL) were evaluated as potential indicators ofarterial disease in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) andSLE with secondary antiphospholipid syndrome (APS). IgG anti-beta2GPI andIgG anti-ox-LDL were measured by enzyme- linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA)in serum samples from 118 patients with SLE, including 40 with secondaryAPS. IgG anti-beta2GPI were positive in 17% (20/118) of SLE patients. Thepresence and titres of IgG anti-beta2GPI were strongly associated with ahistory of arterial thrombosis. Haemolytic anaemia was also significantlyassociated with the presence of IgG anti-beta2GPI. The prevalence of IgGanti-ox-LDL was 53% (63/118), but there was no association with arterialthrombosis. No correlation between the values of anti-ox-LDL and those ofanti-beta2GPI was found. These results suggest that IgG anti- beta2GPIcould be a marker for arterial thrombosis in SLE patients, while IgGanti-ox-LDL were not associated with arterial disease in this group oflupus patients.