Antiphospholipid antibodies in giant cell arteritis and polymyalgia rheumatica.

Purpose. - Antiphospholipid antibodies (APL) are frequently observed in the course of giant cell arteritis and polymyalgia rheumatica. However, their role and relationships wit potential ischemic events are still debated. Methods. - To determine the prevalence of APL in relation with ischemic eve nts, 62 patients with giant cell arteritis and/or polymyalgia rheumatica we re retrospectively studied. Results. - Before corticosteroid treatment 41% of the 51 patients with gian t cell arteritis and 64% of the 11 patients with isolated polmyalgic rheuma tica had high IgG ACL levels, with a frequency significantly higher than th at (15.6%) of the control group which was composed of healthy elderly. IgM ACL were found in only two patients with giant cel arteritis. There was no correlation between the occurrence of an ischemic event (22 ischemic events in the 51 patients with giant cell arteritis) and the presence of ACL, een though the latter were more frequently observed in the giant cell arteriti s group (52% versus 41% in non ischemic patients). The prevalence of ACL in creased, reaching 59% if lupus anticoagulant was associated, but the differ ence was not significant. ACL disappeared soon after corticosteroid therapy had been initiated. Conclusion. - Though ACL are frequently seen in giant cell arthritis and/or polymyalgia rheumatica, they are not related to ischemic events and disapp ear rapidly after corticosteroid treatment. (C) 1999 Elsevier, Paris.