Rapid detection of anticardiolipin antibodies

✍ Scribed by Stewart, Michael W.; McKay, Tracy; Schwind, Peter; Gordon, Philip A.

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 1998
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 65 KB
• Volume: 57
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0361-8609
• DOI: 10.1002/(sici)1096-8652(199804)57:4<315::aid-ajh8>3.0.co;2-x

✦ Synopsis

A rapid screening method for the detection of antiphospholipid antibodies is described. Dense, red dyed polystyrene beads coated with cardiolipin were incubated with test sera for a short period of time, then added to a microtube containing anti-human IgG in a gel provided within a pre-cast card (DiaMed ID Microtyping System). The card was centrifuged at 150g for 5 min and then examined for movement of the beads through the gel. Beads without bound antibody travelled through the gel and formed a pellet on the bottom of the tube. Anti-human IgG within the gel matrix impeded cardiolipin-coated beads when antiphospholipid antibodies bound to the beads. Positivity was indicated by the formation of a layer of beads on the top of the gel matrix. Prospective analysis of 103 samples for the presence of antiphospholipid antibodies by flow cytometry and the gel-card technique showed good correlation between the two methods. All samples found to be positive by flow cytometry (23 of 103) were identified as positive by the gel-card technique. Two samples were identified as positive by the gel-card method but negative by flow cytometry. The technique is simple to perform and should prove useful as a rapid screening method for the detection of antiphospholipid antibodies.