Autoantibodies directed against phospholipids or human β2‐glycoprotein 1 in HIV‐seropositive patients: relationship with endothelial activation and antimalonic dialdehyde antibodies

Background We investigated the possible role of antiphospholipid (APA) and anti-human β2-glycoprotein I (β2-GPI) antibodies (Ab) in thrombosis and atherosclerosis in human immunodeficiency (HIV)-positive patients, in whom they seem to be more frequent. Methods We measured APA and anti-β2-GPI Ab in 58 HIV-positive patients together with markers of disease progression, circulating β2-GPI, plasma lipids, biological markers of endothelial activation and integrity (plasma thrombomodulin, von Willebrand factor, vascular cell adhesion molecule 1) and with antimalonic dialdehyde antibodies (anti-MDA Ab). Results We found a 41% frequency of IgG APA in the HIV-positive patients. APA IgMs were rarely positive (7%), and anti-β2-GPI IgGs were positive in 3.4% patients. There was no correlation between APA or anti-β2-GPI Ab and the presence of opportunistic infections. Although plasma thrombomodulin, von Willebrand factor and vascular cell adhesion molecule 1 were significantly increased in the HIV-positive patients, APA was correlated only with vascular cell adhesion molecule 1, suggesting that APAs are correlated with endothelial activation but not with vascular endothelial lesions. A correlation between APA and anti-MDA IgG was demonstrated using multivariate analysis (r = 0.542, P