ABNORMAL IGG CARDIOLIPIN ANTIBODY-TITERS IN PATIENTS WITH RAYNAUDS-PHENOMENON AND OR RELATED DISORDERS - PREVALENCE AND CLINICAL-SIGNIFICANCE/

Background: The prevalence of antibodies to cardiolipin (a-CL) in pati ents with Raynaud's phenomenon (RP) and/or related disorders (rD) is n ot known. Objective: The purpose of this study was to determine the pr evalence of these antibodies. Methods: We assayed IgG a-CL in 230 cons ecutive patients with RP/rD and compared the results with those in a s eries of 230 control blood donors. Results: Sixteen percent of patient s were a-CL positive versus 7.8% of the control donors (p = 0.014). Th e prevalence of a-CL positivity was 8.7% for primary RP, 10.5% for sec ondary RP, 8% for chilblains, 25% for essential acrocyanosis, 20% for connective tissue diseases, and 17% for undifferentiated connective ti ssue diseases. Among patients with digital necrosis, 24% were a-CL pos itive. Conclusion: The prevalence of abnormal a-CL titers is higher in patients with RP/rD than in control donors, especially in patients wi th a connective tissue disease.