This Article Full Text (PDF) References Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to Saved Citations Download to citation manager Request Permissions Request Reprints Add to My Marked Citations Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Citing Articles via Scopus Google Scholar Articles by Tincani, A Articles by Riboldi, P Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Tincani, A Articles by Riboldi, P Social Bookmarking                   What's this?

Nonorgan specific autoantibodies and heart damage

Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, Brescia Hospital and University, Brescia, Italy, tincani{at}bresciareumatologia.it

C Biasini-Rebaioli

Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, Brescia Hospital and University, Brescia, Italy

R Cattaneo

Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, Brescia Hospital and University, Brescia, Italy

P Riboldi

IRCCS Istituto Auxologico and Department of Internal Medicine, University of Milan, Milan, Italy

Heart damage, mediated by different autoantibodies can involve several anatomical heart structures: valves, arteries, conduction tissue. Verrucous endocarditis is frequently reported in patients with antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) with or without systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), particularly if they suffer from central nervous system involvement. Antiphospholipid antibodies (aPL) were shown deposited at subendothelial level of the affected valves. According to several in vitro and in vivo experimental models, aPL, anti-oxidized LDL (oxLDL), anti-heat shock protein 65 (HSP65) and anti-endothelial cells antibodies (AECA) seem to be involved in the pathogenesis of the atherosclerosis phenomena described in systemic autoimmune disease and vasculitis. However, the observation of the association of the same antibodies with clinical and subclinical atherosclerosis in patients is still controversial. The children of anti-Ro/SSA positive mothers can be affected by the congenital heart block. Anti Ro/SS-A antibodies play a major pathogenic role in affecting the heart conduction tissue in this rare condition.

Key Words: anti-oxidized • antiphospholipid antibodies • atherosclerosis • congenital heart block • heart valve disease • LDL antibodies

Lupus, Vol. 14, No. 9, 656-659 (2005)
DOI: 10.1191/0961203305lu2194oa


CiteULike    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    What's this?