1. IgA Anti-b2GPI Antibodies in Patients with Autoimmune Liver Diseases.
- Author
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Gary Norman, Nikolaos Gatselis, Christos Liaskos, Panagiotis Papamichalis, and Athanasios Garagounis
- Subjects
LIVER diseases ,IMMUNOGLOBULIN A ,CHRONIC active hepatitis ,CIRRHOSIS of the liver ,ANTIPHOSPHOLIPID syndrome ,HEPATITIS C virus ,PATIENTS - Abstract
Abstract Introduction Recently, we reported a high prevalence of immunoglobulin G and/or immunoglobulin M anticardiolipin antibodies (aCL) in patients with autoimmune liver diseases, namely, autoimmune hepatitis (AIH), primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC), and primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC), which were independent of the respective isotypes of antibodies against β2-glycoprotein I (anti-b2GPI). Immunoglobulin A (IgA) aCL and IgA anti-b2GPI are the least studied of the three specific isotypes either in antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) or in other conditions. Methods Therefore, we investigated the prevalence and clinical significance of IgA anti-b2GPI and IgA aCL by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays in another set of Caucasian patients with autoimmune liver diseases (59 AIH, 96 PBC, and 37 PSC). The disease controls group consisted of 50 hepatitis C virus (HCV) patients, 50 hepatitis B virus (HBV), 30 alcoholic liver disease (ALD), 30 non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), and 110 healthy controls. Results and Discussion IgA anti-b2GPI prevalence was higher in AIH (50.8%) compared to PBC (p = 0.005), PSC (p = 0.008), NASH (p = 0.004), ALD (p = 0.01), and HCV (p = 0.002). The titers were also significantly higher in AIH compared to any other group of the study. IgA aCL prevalence was higher in AIH (33.9%) compared to PBC (p = 0.005), PSC (p = 0.014), NASH (p = 0.001), ALD (p = 0.004), and HCV (p Conclusion IgA anti-b2GPI and IgA aCL were associated with the severity and biochemical activity of AIH and PBC, but long-term prospective studies are needed to address whether this new finding is of clinical importance in AIH and PBC patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2008