Anticardiolipin antibodies and the risk of recurrent thrombo-occlusive events and death. The Antiphospholipid Antibodies and Stroke Study Group (APASS).

We tested the hypothesis that an anticardiolipin antibody (aCL) titer of > or = 10 IgG phospholipid (GPL) at the time of an index ischemic stroke is associated with an increased risk of subsequent thrombo-occlusive events or death. First-time ischemic stroke patients from the Antiphospholipid Antibodies and Stroke Study Group's Prevalence Study were followed prospectively for a median time of 24 months for any thrombo-occlusive event or death. There was no significant difference for the endpoint of stroke, death, myocardial infarction, transient ischemic attack, deep venous thrombosis, pulmonary embolus, or arterial embolus between the aCL positive and negative patients. Although a single aCL value of > or = 10 GPL at the time of an initial ischemic stroke is a significant independent risk factor for stroke, when adjusted for other stroke risk factors in our study population, aCL positivity did not confer a significantly increased risk for subsequent thrombo-occlusive events or death.