Anti-cardiolipin and anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies in Iranian patients with behcet's disease

ABSTRACT

The prevalence of anti-Neutrophil Cytoplasmic Antibodies [ANCAs] and anti-Cardiolipin Antibodies [anti-CL Ab] in Behcet's Disease [BD] and also their roles in vascular involvement is controversial. To assess the prevalence of ANCAs and anti-CL Ab as well as their correlations with clinical manifestations in Iranian patients with BD. In this case/control study, the sera from 88 patients with BD and 88 healthy controls were evaluated. The levels of ANCAs and anti-CL Ab were measured using indirect ELISA method. The levels of anti-CL, anti-PR3 and anti-MPO [Myeloperoxidase] IgG autoantibodies between BD patients and healthy controls were not statistically different [p=0.21, p=0.28 and p=0.74, respectively]. In addition, there were no significant deferences between BD patients with and without vascular involvement in the levels of anti-CL [1.42 +/- 1.24 GPLU/ml and 1.58 +/- 1.18 GPLU/ml, respectively; p=0.71], anti-PR3 [0.0 +/- 0.0 U/ml and 0.08 +/- 0.27 U/ml, respectively; p=0.10] and anti MPO [0.48 +/- 0.23 U/ml and 0.52 +/- 0.22 U/ml, respectively; p=0.41] IgG autoantibodies. Nevertheless, mean titer of anti-CL IgG was higher in male patients with skin rash than those without skin rash [2.2 +/- 0.88 GPLU/ml and 1.11 +/- 1.22 GPLU/ml, respectively; p=0.017]. While anti-CL, antiPR3 and anti-MPO IgG autoantibodies do not play a major role in susceptibility to BD or pathogenesis of vascular involvement in our patients, anti-CL Ab might be involved in skin lesion development in Iranian male BD patients. However, the results should be confirmed in other studies