Antiphospholipid antibodies in alcoholic liver disease are influenced by histological damage but not by alcohol consumption

Antiphospholipid antibodies (aPL) have been detected in various liver disea ses, particularly cirrhosis. The role of alcoholic consumption per se has b een suggested. The aim of our study was to assess the prevalence of aPL in patients with alcoholic liver disease at various states and to correlate th e presence of aPL with both liver injury and alcoholic consumption. Three groups were prospectively included. Group A: 74 controls (age- and se x-matched); group B: 46 patients with alcoholic steatosis; group C: 28 pati ents with alcoholic cirrhosis. For each patient, lupus anticoagulant, antic ardiolipin antibodies and anti-beta 2-glycoprotein I antibodies were tested . The prevalence of aPL (presence of at least one positive test) was 5% in gr oup A, 20% in group B and 50% in group C (P < 0.04). No correlation appeare d between aPL and Child Pugh score in group C. No correlation was found bet ween the presence of aPL and alcohol intake in patients with either steatos is or cirrhosis. Our study confirms that aPL positivity is more frequently encountered in pa tients with alcoholic liver disease than in controls. Their prevalence incr eases with the degree of histological damage but not with the level of alco holic intake.