Evaluation of antiphospholipid antibodies in young women with ischemic stroke

There is an association between antiphospholipid antibodies (aPL) and ischemic stroke. The detection of aPL in young women is to characterize a subset of patients with venous or/and arterial thrombotic complications, to describe whether aPL are a cause, a consequence, or an accompanying event. Cerebral ischemia is the most common arterial thrombotic manifestation associated with the presence of aPL. In patients with ischemic stroke, diagnostic value of aPL can be increased by patient testing for antibodies against cardiolipin. The aim of the study was to assess the prevalence of IgG-aCL in young women with ischemic stroke. IgG-aCL were screened by ELISA in 34 young women, under the age of 45 (mean age 36.7 years) with ischemic stroke without the common stroke risk factors: hypertension, diabetes, hyperlipidemia, vasculitis or arterial fibrillation, smoking. Other 20 healthy, age and sex matched adults with no evidence of disease were also included as a control group. Twelve of the 34 (35%) patients were found to have aCL of the IgG isotype. The present study confirmed that IgG-aCL may be associated with ischemic stroke; this phenomenon is however relevant only in a small subgroup of young women. They should be sought in all stroke patients under the age of 45, especially those with previous histories of deep venous thrombosis, spontaneous abortion or thrombocytopenia.