Objective: To identify and compare anticardiolipin antibodies (aCL) in pati
ents with eclampsia, different grades of preeclampsia and women with normot
ensive pregnancy. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in 13 pati
ents with eclampsia, 39 with preeclampsia (13 severe, 26 mild), and 52 norm
otensive pregnant women. All of them were studied in the 3rd trimester of p
regnancy. The aCL were determined by an ELISA method. Results: There were n
o significant differences in IgG aCL (F = 0.33, p = 0.80) and IgM aCL (F =
1.64, p = 0.18) between patients with eclampsia (6.9 +/- 3.9 U/GPL and 4.0
+/- 2.0 U/MPL), severe preeclampsia (5.7 +/- 3.5 U/GPL and 2.9 +/- 1.3 U/MP
L), mild preeclampsia (6.8 +/- 3.9 U/GPL and 2.8 +/- 1.0 U/MPL) and normote
nsive pregnant women (6.4 +/- 3.4 U/GPL and 3.0 +/- 1.8 U/MPL). None of the
values of the aCL were considered as positive. Conclusion: Serum aCL level
s were similar in patients with different grades of preeclampsia-eclampsia
and women with normotensive pregnancy.