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 HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Citing Articles via Scopus Google Scholar Articles by Gedalia, A Articles by Gharavi, A E Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Gedalia, A Articles by Gharavi, A E Pubmed/NCBI databases Medline Plus Health Information Lupus Sarcoidosis Social Bookmarking                         What's this?

Anticardiolipin antibodies in childhood rheumatic disorders

J F Molina

C O García

S Doggett

L R Espinoza

A E Gharavi

Departments of Pediatrics and Medicine, LSU Medical Center and Children's Hospital, New Orleans, LA

Anticardiolipin antibodies (aCL) have been reported to occur in a wide variety of autoimmune and non-autoimmune disorders in adults.

Our objective was to investigate the prevalence and isotype distribution of aCL and its relationship with the features of antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) in childhood rheumatic disorders.

Between November 1995 and May 1996, all patients who visited our paediatric rheumatology clinic whose guardians signed a consent form participated in the study. The study population included 106 patients (36 systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), 28 juvenile rheumatoid arthritis (JRA), 11 fibromyalgia, 7 sarcoidosis, 5 dermatomyositis, 3 rheumatic fever (RF), 3 vasculitis, 2 scleroderma, and 11 miscellaneous). aCL measurements were performed by enzyme linked immunoabsorbent assay (ELISA). All patients were carefully evaluated for symptoms and signs of APS.

Eighteen of the 106 patients (17%) were tested positive for one or more of the three aCL isotypes. In SLE, aCL were found positive in 13 of 36 (37%); in JRA 2 of 28 (7%); in sarcoidosis 2 of 7; and in RF 1 of 3. aCL of IgG isotype were found positive in 16 patients (11 SLE, 2 sarcoidosis, 2 JRA, and 1 RF). This isotype was usually detected at low titers (16–24 GPL). aCL of IgM isotype were found positive in five patients (2 sarcoidosis, 2 SLE, 1 JRA), and aCL of IgA isotype were found positive in only three patients (2 SLE, 1 sarcoidosis). Clinical features of APS were rarely seen in our SLE population and were not associated with the presence of aCL. None of the patients in the other groups exhibited any clinical manifestations of APS.

In conclusion, aCL were found in 37% of our childhood SLE patients as compared with only 7% in JRA. These were mostly aCL of IgG isotype of low titers and therefore were not associated with the main features of APS. Prospective studies with a larger sample size may be needed to ascertain the exact prevalence and clinical significance of aCL in childhood-onset SLE.

Key Words: anticardiolipin antibodies • antiphospholipid syndrome • childhood-SLE • childhood rheumatic disorders

Lupus, Vol. 7, No. 8, 551-553 (1998)
DOI: 10.1191/096120398678920659


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

This article has been cited by other articles:

				T. Avcin and E. Silverman Review: Antiphospholipid antibodies in pediatric systemic lupus erythematosus and the antiphospholipid syndrome Lupus, August 1, 2007; 16(8): 627 - 633. [Abstract] [PDF]

				Y Uziel, N Gorodnitski, M Mukamel, S Padeh, R Brik, J Barash, D Mevorach, Y Berkun, T Tauber, J Press, et al. Lupus around the World: Outcome of a national Israeli cohort of pediatric systemic lupus erythematosus Lupus, February 1, 2007; 16(2): 142 - 146. [Abstract] [PDF]

				T Avcin, R Cimaz, F Falcini, F Zulian, G Martini, G Simonini, V Porenta-Besic, G Cecchini, M O Borghi, and P L Meroni Prevalence and clinical significance of anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide antibodies in juvenile idiopathic arthritis Ann Rheum Dis, July 1, 2002; 61(7): 608 - 611. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				H Ilarraza, M F Marquez, A Alcocer, J L Banales, A H Nava, and P A Reyes Anticardiolipin antibodies are not associated with rheumatic heart disease Lupus, December 1, 2001; 10(12): 873 - 875. [Abstract] [PDF]

				N. Besbas, B. Anlar, A. Apak, and T. Kansu Optic Neuropathy in Primary Antiphospholipid Syndrome in Childhood J Child Neurol, September 1, 2001; 16(9): 690 - 693. [Abstract] [PDF]