ANTICARDIOLIPIN ANTIBODIES IN ACUTE NONHEMORRHAGIC STROKE SEEN WITHIN6 HOURS AFTER ONSET

lntroduction - We have undertaken a prospective study to measure antic ardiolipin antibodies of IgG isotype within the first few hours of an acute non-hemorrhagic stroke. Material and methods - We have collected blood samples at entry from one hundred patients (53 men and 47 women ), mean age 67.4 years, referred within 6 h of a first-ever non-hemorr hagic stroke, and from an equal number of age- and gender-matched cont rol patients. Results - IgG anticardiolipin antibodies were greater th an or equal to 10 GPL in 26 patients and in 5 controls (p<0.0001, X2 t est). After logistic regression analysis, increase of IgG anticardioli pin antibodies remained independently associated with stroke (p = 0.00 34), together with hypertension (p = 0.0009) and atrial fibrillation ( p = 0.0238). Conclusion - Our data suggest that the occurrence of elev ation of IgG anticardiolipin antibodies in stroke patients should ante date stroke onset and might be a risk factor per se.