Anticardiolipin antibodies in Lyme disease

CG Mackworth‐Young, EN Harris… - … : Official Journal of …, 1988 - Wiley Online Library
CG Mackworth‐Young, EN Harris, AC Steere, F Rizvi, SE Malawista, GRV Hughes…
Arthritis & Rheumatism: Official Journal of the American College …, 1988Wiley Online Library
Sera from 28 patients with Lyme disease were tested for the presence of anticardiolipin
antibodies (ACLA). Seven serum samples had elevated levels of IgM ACLA, and 4 had
elevated levels of IgG ACLA. Higher IgM ACLA positivity tended to be associated with
neurologic disease, and IgM ACLA levels correlated with the specific IgM response to the
infecting spirochete (P< 0.01). Absorption experiments indicated that ACLA and
antispirochete antibodies are largely separate populations. Thus, ACLA may occur in …
Abstract
Sera from 28 patients with Lyme disease were tested for the presence of anticardiolipin antibodies (ACLA). Seven serum samples had elevated levels of IgM ACLA, and 4 had elevated levels of IgG ACLA. Higher IgM ACLA positivity tended to be associated with neurologic disease, and IgM ACLA levels correlated with the specific IgM response to the infecting spirochete (P < 0.01). Absorption experiments indicated that ACLA and antispirochete antibodies are largely separate populations. Thus, ACLA may occur in patients with Lyme disease, particularly in those with neurologic abnormalities, and the production of these antibodies seems to be linked to the specific IgM response.
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