Antiphospholipid antibodies in cerebral ischemia

In a 2-year prospective study of 146 patients with cerebral ischemia, we compared vascular risk factors for stroke with clinical and laboratory findings, particularly antiphospholipid antibodies. Ten patients (6.8%) were positive for at least one antiphospholipid antibody; one patient had systemic lupus erythematosus, one had rheumatoid arthritis, and the remaining eight fulfilled criteria for the diagnosis of primary antiphospholipid syndrome. These patients were predominantly male, not necessarily young, and 50% of them did not have any other vascular risk factors; there were no significant clinical or paraclinical differences between these patients and those without antiphospholipid antibodies. Outcome in the 10 patients was good, and platelet antiaggregating drugs proved to be useful in preventing further cerebrovascular ischemic events in our patients.