[Antiphospholipid antibodies and epilepsy in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus].

OBJECTIVE

To verify the possible relationship between the presence of antiphospholipid antibodies (APLA) and the presence of epileptic seizures in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).

METHODS

A total of 168 patients with SLE were studied. Fifteen patients had antecedents of epilepsy which were non attributable to a cause other than SLE. Epilepsy was diagnosed on clinical and electroencephalographic grounds. Antibodies to cardiolipin (CLa) and lupus anticoagulant (LA) were measured.

RESULTS

Epileptic seizures were generalized in 13 and partial in two patients. The lupus anticoagulant was positive in 40% of patients with epilepsy compared to 32% in the control group; CLa IgG in 53.5% compared to 65.6%, and CLa IgM in 40% compared to 35.2%. Differences were never statistically significant. Neither when patients with moderate/high CLa levels were studied. Seven patients (40%) had some of the classical manifestations of antiphospholipid syndrome.

CONCLUSIONS

No association was found between positive APLA and epilepsy in patients with SLE.