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

Aims. - To determine the frequency of anti-cardiolipin (aCL) and anti-beta 2-glycoprotein I antibodies (a beta 2GPI) in celiac disease (CD) patients. Patients and methods. - Sixty-three untreated CD patients and 40 healthy blood donors (HBD) were studied. IgG, IgA and IgM aCL and a beta 2GPI were detected by Elisa. Results. - The frequency of antiphospholipid antibodies (aPL) (aCL and/or a beta 2GPI) 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 a beta 2GPI. Only a beta 2GPI-IgA was significantly more frequent in CD patients than in HBD (14.3% vs 2.5%, P=0.048). In CD patients, a beta 2GPI-IgA (nine out of 63) was significantly more frequent (14.3%) than a a beta 2GPI-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 a beta 2GPI-IgA and three of them had a titer higher than 50 units. Among nine patients with a beta 2GPI-IgA, four had a titer higher than 100 units. The highest titers were found in adults. Conclusions. - aPL and particularly a beta 2GPI-IgA are frequent in CD. The significance of these antibodies has to be determined. (C) 2011 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.