The association of antiphospholipid antibodies with severe early-onset pre-eclampsia

To confirm the association of antiphospholipid antibodies with early onset of severe pre-eclampsia before 30 weeks' gestation.

Thirty-four patients with diastolic blood pressure levels > or = 110 mmHg and at least 2+ proteinuria before the 30th week of pregnancy were randomly chosen for inclusion in the study. Blood samples were taken for assessment of anticardiolipin antibodies (ACAs), lupus anticoagulant, syphilitic serology and antinuclear antibodies. Fifteen normal antenatal patients matched for age, parity and gestational age acted as control subjects.

Four of the 34 women (11.7%) in the study group had elevated levels of both ACAs and lupus anticoagulant, compared with none in the control group. This was not found to be statistically different.

Given the low incidence of positive ACAs in early-onset severe pre-eclampsia it is unlikely that they are implicated in its pathogenesis. It is possible that they represent a small subset of patients with alternative or combined pathology.