[Antiphospholipid antibodies in patients with coronary heart disease and the disturbances of glucose tolerance].

UNLABELLED

Experimental and clinical reports suggest the role of antiphospholipid antibodies (aPL) in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis and arterial thrombosis. The aim of our study was to evaluate IgM and IgG anti-beta2-glycoprotein I (anti-beta2-GPI), as well as IgG antiphosphatydylserine (aPS) antibodies in 80 consecutive patients (mean age 58.6+/-8.3 years) referred for coronary angiography, dependent on the extent of atherosclerotic lesions in coronary vessels and the disturbances of glucose tolerance. Antiphospholipid antibodies were measured by ELISA. The mean values of aPS and anti-beta2-GPI did not differ significantly between patients with 1- (n = 17), 2- (n = 15) or 3-vessel disease (n = 14) and subjects without significant changes in coronary arteries (n = 34), as well as between patients with unstable (n = 12) and effort angina (n = 68). Significantly higher levels of IgG anti-beta2-GPI were found in the subgroup with type 2 diabetes in comparison with the subjects with impaired glucose tolerance (median 3,8 (1.9 -9.3) U/ml vs 2,8 (1.5-5.0) U/ml, p = 0.027). Current smokers (n = 11) had significantly higher values of aPS than non smokers (55.8 +/- 30.7 - 64.7) U/ml vs 38.7 (5.7 +/- 82.6) U/ml, p = 0.017). Abnormal aPS values were found in 34 subjects (42,5%): 16 (6 diabetics) with normal angiograms (47.0%), 9 (26.5%) with 1-vessel disease, 3 (8,8%) with 2-vessel disease and 6 (17,6%) with 3- vessel disease. Increased IgG anti- (2-GPI levels were found in 8 (10%), and IgM anti-beta2-GPI - in 4 patients (5%). All subjects with high IgM anti-beta2-GPI values, as well as 5 persons with high IgG anti-beta2-GPI levels (62.5%) had significant coronary artery lesions. Multiple regression analysis revealed that factors independently influencing the levels of aPS were: patient's age (Beta = -0.8417, p = 0.0003) and glycaemia 120 min. after glucose load (Beta = 0.6453, p = 0.025).

CONCLUSIONS

our results do not confirm an association between aPS or/and anti-beta2-GPI antibodies and the extent of atherosclerotic lesions in coronary vessels, although they suggest an increased membrane phospholipids immunogenicity in relatively young patients with elevated postload glycaemia, as well as cigarette smokers.