Role of antiphospholipid antibodies in occlusion of retinal vessels in various vascular eye diseases

A strong association between the presence of antiphospholipid antibodies (aPLab) and arterial and venous thrombosis was observed during the past decade. aPLab represent a heterogeneous group of immunoglobulins that include the lupus anticoagulant (LA), anticardiolipin antibodies (aCL), and antibodies responsible for false-positive test for syphilis. aPLab react with negatively charged, rarely with neutral phospholipids and/or phospholipid-binding proteins. aPLab are associated with vascular occlusion in autoimmune diseases, e.g. systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). The role of aCL in ocular vascular occlusive disease involving retinal vessels is unclear. The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between aPLab and occlusive retinal disease. A relationship between aCL (IgG), LA, and thrombotic retinal events has been detected in SLE patients, but no association between aPLab and other occlusive retinal diseases (central retinal vein thrombosis, isolated retinal vasculitis, optic nerve vasculitis). In our study the incidence of aCL IgG was higher in patients with Behcet disease with non-occlusive thrombosis than in patients with retinal occlusive events or in patients without occlusions or thrombosis. It seems that different mechanisms are responsible for these conditions.