PREVALENCE OF ANTIENDOTHELIAL CELL ANTIBODIES IN PATIENTS WITH SNEDDONS SYNDROME

Background: Sneddon's syndrome consists of widespread livedo reticular is and ischemic cerebral manifestations. Its pathogenesis remains uncl ear. Endothelial cells could be the primary target tissue. Objective: Our aim was to determine the prevalence of anti-endothelial cell antib odies (AECA) in a large series of patients with Sneddon's syndrome. Th e results were compared with those of three groups of control subjects : 39 patients with active periarteritis nodosa, 20 patients hospitaliz ed for stroke without livedo, and 28 healthy persons. Methods: AECA we re detected with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay with hybrid cells ( EA.hy926) before and after absorption on epithelial cells (A 549/8) to avoid false positivity from antibodies reacting with membranous epith elial antigens. Results: Twenty-two patients with Sneddon's syndrome h ad AECA (35%). Of the control subjects, 11 patients with active periar teritis nodosa (28%), 1 of 20 patients with a recent stroke without li vedo, and no healthy persons had AECA. Conclusion: AECA were frequentl y found in patients with Sneddon's syndrome, in contrast to the patien ts with stroke without livedo. The clinical significance and involveme nt of these antibodies in the pathogenesis of endothelial lesions in S neddon's syndrome remain to be ascertained.