ANTICARDIOLIPIN ANTIBODIES IN ISCHEMIC STROKE IN THE YOUNG - INDIAN EXPERIENCE

Anticardiolipin antibodies (aCL) have been recognised as a market for an increased risk of thrombosis. The prevalence of these antibodies in young Indian ischemic stroke population is not known. Our study estab lishes the prevalence of these antibodies and evaluates their clinical significance in 60 patients aged 40 years or less who presented with completed ischemic stroke. Immunoglobulin G and immunoglobulin M class antibodies to anticardiolipin were determined using a standardized en zyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The prevalence of these antibodies in stroke patients was 23% compared to 3.2% in the controls. All patient s studied had no overt evidence of systemic lupus erythematosus or rel ated autoimmune disorders. The aCL-positive stroke patients did not di ffer significantly from aCL-negative stroke patients with regard to de mographic characteristics, risk factor profile, and radiological featu res. Prior transient ischemic attacks, ischemic retinopathy, and asymp tomatic infection were more frequent in the aCL-positive group. The ro le of anticardiolipin antibodies as a disease marker for ischemic stro ke is under-recognised in India and warrants further investigation. (C ) 1997 Elsevier Science B.V.