Arterial disease in lupus and secondary antiphospholipid syndrome: association with anti-beta2-glycoprotein I antibodies but not with antibodies against oxidized low-density lipoprotein.

The prevalence and clinical significance of antibodies against beta2-glycoprotein I (anti-beta2GPI) and antibodies against oxidized low-density lipoprotein (anti-ox-LDL) were evaluated as potential indicators of arterial disease in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and SLE with secondary antiphospholipid syndrome (APS). IgG anti-beta2GPI and IgG anti-ox-LDL were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) in serum samples from 118 patients with SLE, including 40 with secondary APS. IgG anti-beta2GPI were positive in 17% (20/118) of SLE patients. The presence and titres of IgG anti-beta2GPI were strongly associated with a history of arterial thrombosis. Haemolytic anaemia was also significantly associated with the presence of IgG anti-beta2GPI. The prevalence of IgG anti-ox-LDL was 53% (63/118), but there was no association with arterial thrombosis. No correlation between the values of anti-ox-LDL and those of anti-beta2GPI was found. These results suggest that IgG anti-beta2GPI could be a marker for arterial thrombosis in SLE patients, while IgG anti-ox-LDL were not associated with arterial disease in this group of lupus patients.