Anti-Ro and Concomitant Anti-La Autoantibodies Strongly Associated With Anti-oxLDL or Anti-Phospholipid Antibody in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus.

Background: Premature atherosclerosis is observed in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Oxidative modification of LDL is associated with atherosclerotic plaque formation.

Objectives: We hypothesized that anti-oxidized LDL (oxLDL) and anti-phospholipid (APL) in SLE sera would segregate with specific antibody subsets, and that anti-oxLDL antibodies will linger in circulation over an extended period.