High prevalence of anticardiolipin and/or anti-beta2 glycoprotein i antibodies in young patients with epilepsy

Previous studies have suggest that anticardiolipin (aCL) antibodies can be associated with epilepsy in patients with SLE. We started a prospective study in order to determine the prevalence of aCL and anti-beta2 glycoprotein I (beta2-GPI) antibodies in sera of patients with pediatric-onset epilepsy. One hundred forty two consecutive and unselected patients with a diagnosis of epilepsy and onset before the age of 15 years were enrolled in the study (87 males. 55 females). The age at onset of epilepsy ranged from birth to 15 years (mean, 3.5 years). Mean age at the time of antibody determination was 11 years (range, 1-25 years). Brain computed tomography (CT) and/or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) had been performed in 119 of 142 patients during the course of their disease. IgG and IgM aCL and anti-beta2 GPI antibodies were measured by ELISA. Cutoff values for a positive result were 10 GPL/MPL for aCL, 0.262 OD for IgG and Ü.282 OD for IgM anti-beta2 GPI. Positive results were found in 44 of 142 cases (3Wr). We conclude that aCL and anti-beta2 GPI can be associated with epilepsy even in patients without SLE.