ACUTE MYOCARDIAL INFARCTION AND INTERRELATIONSHIP OF ANTIPHOSPHOLIPID ANTIBODIES

Background. Data concerning the interrelationship of antiphospholipid antibodies ‎‎(aPL) and myocardial infarction (MI) in patients with acute myocardial infarction and ‎no evidence of overt autoimmune disease is conflicting.‎ The present study is to ‎determine the presence of aPL antibodies in a group of patients with acute myocardial ‎infarction (AMI), under the age of 45 year, and with no evidence of major risk factors ‎for coronary artery disease‏.‏‎
‎ Methods: 42 patients with acute myocardial infarction, under the age of 45 years, who ‎were admitted in cardiac care unit and 40 healthy subjects, as controls, were included ‎in this study. Sera were drawn both from the patients and control subjects for VDRL ‎test and antibodies against phospholipids‏ .‏‎
‎ Results: Antiphospholipid antibodies and false-positive VDRL were documented in ‎‎10 patients out of 42 studied subjects (23.8%). None of the control subjects had ‎positive aPL antibodies or false-positive VDRL (P value 0.001). This shows young ‎individuals (under 45 years) with AMI have a relative risk (RR) of 2.25 for aPL ‎antibodies compared with the normal population‏. .‏‎
‎ Conclusion: There is a strong relationship between aPL antibodies and AMI in ‎individuals under the age of 45 years. The presence of a high aPL antibody titer is an ‎independent risk factor for AML Therefore in young patients (especially under the ‎age of 45 years) with AMI, screening tests for the presence of aPL antibodies is ‎recommended (Iranian Heart Journal 2002, 2003; 3(4&4(1): 61-64). ‎