Medical expert of the article
New publications
Antibodies to cardiolipin in the blood
Last reviewed: 23.04.2024
All iLive content is medically reviewed or fact checked to ensure as much factual accuracy as possible.
We have strict sourcing guidelines and only link to reputable media sites, academic research institutions and, whenever possible, medically peer reviewed studies. Note that the numbers in parentheses ([1], [2], etc.) are clickable links to these studies.
If you feel that any of our content is inaccurate, out-of-date, or otherwise questionable, please select it and press Ctrl + Enter.
Reference values (norm) of the concentration of anticardiolipin antibodies in serum: IgG - less than 19 IU / ml; IgA - less than 15 IU / ml; IgM is less than 10 IU / ml.
Anticardiolipin antibodies - antibodies to phospholipids (cardiolipin - di-phosphatidylglycerol) of cell membranes, the leading indicator of the presence of antiphospholipid minedrom in patients. Antibodies to cardiolipin are the main fraction of antibodies to phospholipids. A certain level of autoantibodies to cardiolipin is present in blood and healthy people, but when it increases, a qualitatively new condition appears in the hemostasis system. These antibodies interact with phospholipids of platelet membranes and vascular endothelial cells, causing their destruction and contributing to thrombosis and thromboembolism.
Increasing the concentration of antibodies is a sensitive and specific laboratory test that characterizes the risk of thrombotic complications. Patients with an elevated concentration of antibodies to cardiolipin are considered at risk for thrombosis in various diseases. In pregnancy, due to thromboembolic injury of the trophoblast and placenta, fetal death, miscarriage, placental abruption, fetal hypotrophy and hypoxia are possible.
In the diagnosis of antiphospholipid syndrome, antibodies of IgG, IgA and IgM class are determined. Antiphospholipid syndrome often detect IgG and IgA antibodies.
The content of anti-cardiolipin antibodies in the blood can fluctuate both spontaneously and in response to any pathological processes in the body. In the treatment of antiphospholipid syndrome, the concentration of anticardiolipin antibodies may change or remain at the same level.
The content of antibodies of IgM class most quickly react to the effective treatment of antiphospholipid syndrome (their level decreases). In low concentrations, anticardiolipin antibodies of IgM class can be present in rheumatoid arthritis, Sjogren's syndrome, drug-induced lupus erythematosus, Lyme disease and syphilis.
Disorders of cerebral circulation, associated with the production of antibodies to phospholipids, have a number of clinical features: arise at a young age, more often in women, often recur. Antibodies to phospholipids revealed in 2.4-46% of young patients with ischemic impairment of cerebral circulation (anticardiolipin antibodies - in 60%, VA - in 75%, simultaneously both in 50-75%).
The relative risk of developing strokes, miscarriages or deep vein thrombosis in patients with anticardiolipin antibodies in the blood is 2-4 times higher than in patients who do not have them.
Antikardiolipinovye antibodies can appear in the following diseases: thrombocytopenia, hemolytic anemia, autoimmune diseases, systemic lupus erythematosus, rheumatoid arthritis, rheumatism, nodular polyarteritis, myocardial infarction, stroke, unstable angina, infections (tuberculosis, leprosy, staphylococcal, streptococcal, measles, mononucleosis , rubella, HIV infection), arterial hypertension, obliterating endarteritis, systemic atherosclerosis, the threat of thrombotic complications, obstetric pas the development of antiphospholipid syndrome