Anti-cardiolipin and anti-Neutrophil Cytoplasmic Antibodies in Iranian patients with Behcet's disease.

Background: The prevalence of anti-Neutrophil Cytoplasmic Antibodies (ANCAs) and anti-Cardiolipin Antibodies (anti-CL Ab) in Behcet's Disease (BD) and also their roles in vascular involvement is controversial.

Objective: To assess the prevalence of ANCAs and anti-CL Ab as well as their correlations with clinical manifestations in Iranian patients with BD.

Methods: In this case/control study, the sera from 88 patients with BD and 88 healthy controls were evaluated. The levels of ANCAs and anti-CL Ab were measured using indirect ELISA method.

Results: The levels of anti-CL, anti-PR3 and anti-MPO (Myeloperoxidase) IgG autoantibodies between BD patients and healthy controls were not statistically different (p=0.21, p=0.28 and p=0.74, respectively). In addition, there were no significant deferences between BD patients with and without vascular involvement in the levels of anti-CL (1.42 ± 1.24 GPLU/ml and 1.58 ± 1.18 GPLU/ml, respectively; p=0.71), anti-PR3 (0.0 ± 0.0 U/ml and 0.08 ± 0.27 U/ml, respectively; p=0.10) and anti MPO (0.48 ± 0.23 U/ml and 0.52 ± 0.22 U/ml, respectively; p=0.41) IgG autoantibodies. Nevertheless, mean titer of anti-CL IgG was higher in male patients with skin rash than those without skin rash (2.2 ± 0.88 GPLU/ml and 1.11 ± 1.22 GPLU/ml, respectively; p=0.017).

Conclusion: While anti-CL, anti-PR3 and anti-MPO IgG autoantibodies do not play a major role in susceptibility to BD or pathogenesis of vascular involvement in our patients, anti-CL Ab might be involved in skin lesion development in Iranian male BD patients. However, the results should be confirmed in other studies.