Study of anticardiolipin antibodies and anticardiolipin syndrome in rheumatoid arthritis

ABSTRACT

This study was carried out on two groups of subjects. The control group consisted of 10 apparently healthy subjects with a mean age +/- S.E. 22.5 +/- 1.22 years. The second group consisted of 20 rheumatoid patients with a mean age +/- S. E. of 38.4 +/- 1.38 years. All subjects were free from any disease affecting anticardiolipin antibodies level and also they were already diagnosed as rheumatoid arthritis clinically and serologically. This study revealed a significant increase in the levels of anticardiolipin antibodies in the studied rheumatoid patients when compared with the control group [P <0.001, P <0.05] as regarding IgG and IgM respectively. Also, showed a significant decrease of platelets count in rheumatoid group when compared with the control [P < 0.05]. There was a significant increase in the anticardiolipin antibodies level in the married female rheumatoid cases with recurrent fetal loss compared with those without recurrent fetal loss [P <0.05]. The mean levels of anticardiolipin antibodies in rheumatoid patients were significantly lower after regular plasmapheresis [P < 0.05, P <0.01]. It can be concluded that anticardiolipin antibodies level may be considered a good denominator of recurrent fetal loss and thrombotic episodes in rheumatoid arthritis also regular plasmapheresis recommended as one of the main lines of management of such rheumatoid patients