Antiphospholipid antibodies proposed in the diagnosis of infective endocarditis.

Antiphospholipid antibodies (aPL) may occur alone or associated with other diseases. To evaluate aPL, tested as anticardiolipin antibodies (IgG aCL) in infective endocarditis (IE) diagnosis, we investigated their prevalence in a cohort of 651 patients with IE suspicion. aPL was significantly associated with definite IE versus IE-rejected patients. Their mean levels were significantly higher in patients with definite IE versus possible IE. When applied as Duke minor criterion, they were significantly more often positive, and at higher levels, in patients with definite IE than in patients with possible or rejected IE. aPL could be helpful in difficult cases of IE diagnosis.