• J T Cvetkovic, S Wållberg-Jonsson, E Ahmed, S Rantapää-Dahlqvist, and A K Lefvert.
• Immunological Research Unit, Center for Molecular Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
• Rheumatology (Oxford). 2002 Sep 1; 41 (9): 988-95.

ObjectivesTo analyse the association of autoantibodies against cardiolipin (CL) and oxidized low density lipoproteins [copper-oxidized low density lipoprotein (oxLDL), malondialdehyde-modified LDL (MDA-LDL)] with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and cardiovascular complications.MethodsOne hundred and twenty-one patients with RA were consecutively included. Autoantibodies were determined by ELISA. Healthy individuals from the same region were used as controls.ResultsLevels of IgG, IgM and IgA antibodies against MDA-LDL and CL, as well as IgG and IgA antibodies against oxLDL were increased in the patients (P<0.01). The prevalence of IgG, IgM and IgA antibodies against CL was higher than in the normal population (74, 82 and 14%, respectively). The prevalence of IgG and IgA antibodies against oxLDL was also significantly increased (35 and 25%, respectively) and so was the prevalence of IgG and IgM antibodies against MDA-LDL (17 and 26%, respectively) compared with controls. The levels of IgM and IgA antibodies against aCL and IgM against MDA-LDL were increased in patients with extra-articular manifestations. Patients who developed myocardial infarction had a higher prevalence of IgG antibodies against MDA-LDL (P=0.04). There were substantial correlations between the levels of antibodies against oxLDL, MDA-LDL and CL.ConclusionsRA patients had increased levels and prevalence of autoantibodies against CL, oxLDL and MDA-LDL, with associations to severity of disease and cardiovascular complications.

25 keywords...

hide…