[Clinical significance of anti-cardiolipin antibody in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE)].

Anti-cardiolipin antibody (aCL) in SLE patients reacts with cardiolipin/beta 2-GP1 complex. In order to disclose clinical significance of aCL in patients with SLE, aCL was determined by newly-developed anti-CL.beta 2-GP1 kit [Yamasa] EIA in 58 patients with SLE and the relationship between clinical manifestation of SLE and the presence of aCL was examined. Anti-cardiolipin antibody was positive in 20 patients (34.5%). In 20 SLE patients with positive aCL, livedo reticularis in 7, retinal vein thrombosis in 3, thrombophlebitis in 3 and other vasculo-occlusive episodes were observed as a characteristic clinical features of positive aCL. In contrast, a SLE patient complicated by ileal perforation due to necrotizing angiitis had negative aCL. Other clinical and laboratory features associated with aCL include recurrent fetal loss and thrombocytopenia.