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Rheumatology 2002; 41: 988-995
© 2002 British Society for Rheumatology

Original papers

Increased levels of autoantibodies against copper-oxidized low density lipoprotein, malondialdehyde-modified low density lipoprotein and cardiolipin in patients with rheumatoid arthritis

J. T. Cvetkovic, S. Wållberg-Jonsson1, E. Ahmed, S. Rantapää-Dahlqvist1 and A. K. Lefvert1,

Immunological Research Unit, Center for Molecular Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm and
1 Department of Rheumatology, University Hospital, Umeå, Sweden

Objectives. To analyse the association of autoantibodies against cardiolipin (CL) and oxidized low density lipoproteins [copper-oxidized low density lipoprotein (oxLDL), malondialdehyde-modified LDL (MDA-LDL)] with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and cardiovascular complications.

Methods. One hundred and twenty-one patients with RA were consecutively included. Autoantibodies were determined by ELISA. Healthy individuals from the same region were used as controls.

Results. Levels of IgG, IgM and IgA antibodies against MDA-LDL and CL, as well as IgG and IgA antibodies against oxLDL were increased in the patients (P<0.01). The prevalence of IgG, IgM and IgA antibodies against CL was higher than in the normal population (74, 82 and 14%, respectively). The prevalence of IgG and IgA antibodies against oxLDL was also significantly increased (35 and 25%, respectively) and so was the prevalence of IgG and IgM antibodies against MDA-LDL (17 and 26%, respectively) compared with controls. The levels of IgM and IgA antibodies against aCL and IgM against MDA-LDL were increased in patients with extra-articular manifestations. Patients who developed myocardial infarction had a higher prevalence of IgG antibodies against MDA-LDL (P=0.04). There were substantial correlations between the levels of antibodies against oxLDL, MDA-LDL and CL.

Conclusions. RA patients had increased levels and prevalence of autoantibodies against CL, oxLDL and MDA-LDL, with associations to severity of disease and cardiovascular complications.

KEY WORDS: Autoantibody, Rheumatoid arthritis, Cardiolipin, oxLDL, MDA-LDL, Cardiovascular disease.

Correspondence to: A. K. Lefvert, Immunological Research Unit, CMM L8:03, Karolinska Hospital, 171 76 Stockholm, Sweden.


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