[Connections between ischemic heart disease and anti-cardiolipin antibody positivity].

: IgG and IgM anti-cardiolipin antibodies (aCL) were measured in 60 patients with ischaemic heart disease by an immunoenzymatic assay. aCL levels higher than normal were detected in 12 of 40 patients (30%) with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and in 7 of 20 patients (35%) with angina pectoris (AP). These values were significantly higher (p < 0.05) than those detected in the control group (3/40; 7.5%). As regards the clinical picture, the complications and the outcome of the disease, no difference was observed between aCL-positive and negative patients with AMI. 9 of 12 aCL-positive patients with AMI showed increased levels of aCL in a blood sample obtained in day 1 after admission. Therefore, we must admit such positivity as preexistent to the myocardial infarction. These data together with the high prevalence of aCL in patients with AP suggest that an association should exist between raised levels of aCL and increased risk for AMI in patients with coronary artery disease.