Autoantibodies to cardiolipin and beta-2-glycoprotein-l in coronary artery disease patients with and without hypertension

Background: Autoantibodies to cardiolipin (aCL) and β2-glycoprotein-l (β2GPl) are considered proatherogenic. Elevated levels of both antibodies have been reported in hypertension. Nonetheless, there are no data regarding an association between these autoantibodies and hypertension in coronary artery disease. Methods: The levels of aCL and anti-β2GPl antibodies were measured in patients having coronary artery disease with (n = 82) or without (n = 36) hypertension, in association with other major risk factors for coronary artery disease. Results: The levels of aCL and anti-β2GPl antibodies were (OD at 405 nm) 0.23 ± 0.14 and 0.22 ± 0.12 in the normal blood pressure group, as opposed to 0.24 ± 0.12 and 0.20 ± 0.12 in the hypertensive group, respectively (p = 0.67; 0.42). No significant difference in either antibody levels was found between hypertensive patients with normal and abnormal blood pressure measurements. The presence of additional risk factors did not affect antibody levels in normotensive patients. However, in the hypertensive group, the presence of smoking was associated with significantly decreased anti-β2GPl antibody levels, whereas no change was found in aCL. Further, patients who had hypertension, smoking and hypercholesterolemia, had significantly decreased anti-β2GPl antibody levels compared with patients without any of these risk factors (0.13 ± 0.04 versus 0.23 ± 0.13, respectively; p = 0.02). Conclusion: Hypertension is not associated with modification of aCL and anti-β2GPl antibody levels in coronary artery disease patients. However, there are elevated anti-β2GPl antibody levels in patients without conventional risk factors compared with patients with these risk factors.