Non-specific autoantibodies in cardiomyopathies and myocardial infarction.

In the present study we evaluated the importance of autoimmune mechanisms in cardiomyopathies. Sera from 22 patients with dilated cardiomyopathy, 23 patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, 24 patients with myocardial infarction and 40 apparently healthy blood donors were tested with an immunoassay method for the presence of autoantibodies against dsDNA, ssDNA and cardiolipin. Elevated values of autoantibodies, mainly of the IgG subtype, were obtained in a high percentage of patients with cardiomyopathy (30-50%), as compared to the control group (5%). The incidence of these autoantibodies has been found significantly high in both groups of dilated and hypertrophic cardiomyopathies. Although further investigation is needed, it is concluded that the detection of these autoantibodies may contribute in the better understanding of the pathogenesis of cardiomyopathies and could be a useful tool for the diagnosis, follow up and prognosis of these patients.