Abstract
Background There is controversy about an increased prevalence of antiphospholipid antibodies in diabetics patients, and the possible implications are little known.
Methods We prospectively studied all consecutive outpatients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) attended in an Internal Medicine office. IgM and IgG anticardiolipin antibodies (ACA) were determined by standardized enzyme-linked immunoassay.
Results Fifty-six patients were included. Only one patient (1.8%) had a titer of IgM ACA higher than 15 MPL units and no patient had a titer of IgG ACA higher than 15 GPL units. Six patients (10.7%) had low (4–15 MPL units) IgM ACA titers and 18 patients (32.1%) had low (4–15 GPL units) IgG ACA titers. There were no differences in the frequencies of a low IgM or IgG ACA titer or in the means of IgM and IgG ACA titers in patients with complicated and uncomplicated DM, with and without cardiovascular disease, with and without nephropathy or with and without retinopathy.
Conclusions Moderate-high ACA titers must be exceptional in patients with type 2 DM. Low ACA titers may occur in patients with type 2 DM. These low titers do not seem to be associated with complicated DM, cardiovascular disease, nephropathy or retinopathy.
- Received October 21, 2008.
- Revision received January 22, 2009.
- Accepted February 11, 2009.
