Anti-cardiolipin and anti-beta 2-glycoprotein I antibodies in celiac disease

Abstract

AimsTo determine the frequency of anti-cardiolipin (aCL) and anti-β2-glycoprotein I antibodies (aβ2GPI) in celiac disease (CD) patients. Patients and methodsSixty-three untreated CD patients and 40 healthy blood donors (HBD) were studied. IgG, IgA and IgM aCL and aβ2GPI were detected by Elisa. ResultsThe frequency of antiphospholipid antibodies (aPL) (aCL and/or aβ2GPI) was significantly higher in CD patients (12 out of 63) than in HBD (two out of 40) (19% vs 5%, P=0.04). Six CD patients out of 63 (9.5%) and one HBD out of 40 (2.5%) had aCL. Ten CD patients (15.9%) and two HBD (5%) had aβ2GPI. Only aβ2GPI-IgA was significantly more frequent in CD patients than in HBD (14.3% vs 2.5%, P=0.048). In CD patients, aβ2GPI-IgA (nine out of 63) was significantly more frequent (14.3%) than aβ2GPI-IgG (1.6%) and IgM (1.6%) (P=0.008). In CD patients, the frequency of aCL-IgA and IgM was 6.3% (four out of 63) and aCL-IgG were not detected. Simultaneous presence of positive antibodies was found in four CD patients: one patient had four aPL, one had three aPL and two had two aPL. The four patients who had aCL-IgA had also aβ2GPI-IgA and three of them had a titer higher than 50 units. Among nine patients with aβ2GPI-IgA, four had a titer higher than 100 units. The highest titers were found in adults. ConclusionsaPL and particularly aβ2GPI-IgA are frequent in CD. The significance of these antibodies has to be determined.