Anticardiolipin antibodies in hemodialysis patients

Abstract

END-STAGE renal disease (ESRD) patients are known to have a higher frequency of elevated anticardiolipin antibodies (aCL) compared with the general population. The prevalence of elevated aCL in hemodialysis (HD) patients exceeds that of ESRD patients who are on conservative treatment. The proportion of individuals with positive tests for aCL has been identified as significantly higher in patients on regular HD compared with those on continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD). Many abnormalities of the hemostatic system have been described in patients with liver disease. One study found that aCL positivity was more common (22%) in a group of patients with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection than in healthy subjects. Elevated levels of aCL are reportedly associated with thrombotic events as well, including myocardial infarction, portal or hepatic vein thrombosis, deep venous thrombosis, and pulmonary embolism. The aims of this study were to assess the prevalence of IgG and IgM aCL positivity in HD and CAPD patients, to identify any existing correlation between aCL level and HCV infection, and to determine whether thrombotic events are correlated with aCL levels.