Antiphospholipid antibodies in HIV-positive patients

Antiphospholipid (aPL) antibodies classically have been associated with thrombotic phenomena and abortion in patients with autoimmune diseases. The objective of the present work was to evaluate the frequency of such antibodies in patients infected with HIV and study its association with the presence of clinical manifestations of antiphospholipid syndrome (APS). Using a transversal study, a population of patients diagnosed with HIV, identified through an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) test and confirmed by Western blotting, aged above 17 years old, was investigated. Through a standard questionnaire, the presence of APS manifestations was investigated, as well as the frequency of rheumatic manifestations. Antibodies against beta 2 glycoprotein I (anti-beta 2 GPI) and anticardiolipin (aCL) IgA, IgG, and IgM were investigated by the ELISA method using commercial kits (QUANTA Lite, INOVA Diagnostics). Ninety patients were studied, 47 (52.2%) male and 43 (47.8%) female. Clinical manifestations of APS were detected in 12 patients (13.3%) of the studied population, whereas arthralgia was the most common rheumatic manifestation (38.9%). Of the 90 patients, 40 (44.4%) were reactive for at least one type of aPL antibody (aCL and/or anti-beta 2 GPI). The frequency of aCL was 17.8%, from which 15 (16.7%) had aCL IgG, 3 (3.3%) IgM, and 1 (1.1%) IgA. The frequency of the anti-beta 2 GPI antibody was 33.3%, from which 29 (32.2%) were positive for isotype IgA, 4 (4.4%) isotype IgM, and 1 (1.1%) isotype IgG. No association was observed between immunoreactivity for aPL antibodies in general or each isotype in particular and the presence of APS manifestation. In the present study, it was possible to observe a relatively high frequency of aPL antibodies, particularly for isotype IgA anti-beta 2 GPI in HIV. However, there was no association to APS manifestations, suggesting that such antibodies had no etiopathogenic role in these complications in patients with such retroviral infection.