CARDIOLIPIN ANTIBODIES IN PATIENTS WITH M YOCARDIAL-INFARCTION OR UNSTABLE ANGINA-PECTORIS

The clinical value of IgG and IgM cardiolipin antibodies (CLa) was exa mined in 22 patients with myocardial infarction and 9 patients with un stable angina (UA). Higher IgG levels were observed in 41 % of MI pati ents and 55 % of UA patients. There was a significant correlation betw een the detection of IgG CLa in patients with a history of myocardial infarction and the presence of left ventricular intracavitary thrombos is. The levels of IgG CLa were increased in 78 % of patients with hist ory of MI and in 32 % without MI history. In addition, those of IgG CL a was higher in 80 % of IM patients with signs of intracavitary thromb osis and in 38 % with cavitary thrombosis. The findings suggest that a ntibodies to cardiolipin (of IgG in particular) make contribution to t he development of thrombotic events in patients with coronary atherosc lerosis in the absence of autoimmune pathology.