SUMMARY

Anticardiolipin antibody (ACA) levels were determined in 17 Asian female SLE patients with autoimmune haemolytic anaemia (AIHA) and 29 Asian female SLE inpatients without AIHA (control patients). Both IgG and IgM isotypes were measured by ELISA. Elevated IgM APA titres (>5 SD of normal health controls) were seen in 11 (64.7%) of 17 AIHA patients and six (20.7%) of 29 control patients(P<0.01). There was no significant difference in IgG ACA titres between the two groups. Thrombocytopenia was present in 11 (64.7%) of the AIHA patients and nine (31%) of the control patients (P<0.05). None of the control SLE patients with thrombocytopenia had raised IgM ACA levels and only one had an ele-vated IgG ACA titre. Autoimmune haemolytic anaemia occurring in the context of SLE frequently associated with the concomitant presence of thrombocytopenia (Evan's syndrome) and with the presence of ACA. KEY WORDS: Cardiolipin, Anticardiolipin antibody, ELISA, Evans ' syndrome, Direct antiglobulin test, Thrombocyto-penia, Systemic lupus erythematosus. ANTIPHOSPHOLIPID antibodies are commonly found in patients with SLE and related diseases and have been associated with venous and arterial thrombosis, recur-rent spontaneous abortions, and cardiac valvular lesions [1]. Much is known of the potential negativel