Elevated IgA antiphospholipid antibodies in healthy pregnant women in Sudan but not Sweden, without corresponding increase in IgA anti-β(2) glycoprotein I domain 1 antibodies

OBJECTIVE: The role of antiphospholipid antibodies (aPL) during apparently normal pregnancy is still unclear. IgA aPL are prevalent in populations of African origin. Our aim was to measure all isotypes of anticardiolipin (anti-CL) and anti–β(2) glycoprotein I (anti-β(2)GPI) in healthy pregnant and non-pregnant women of different ethnicities. METHODS: Healthy Sudanese pregnant women (n = 165; 53 sampled shortly after delivery), 96 age-matched Sudanese female controls and 42 healthy pregnant and 249 non-pregnant Swedish women were included. IgA/G/M anti-CL and anti-β(2)GPI were tested at one time point only with two independent assays in Sudanese and serially in pregnant Swedes. IgA anti-β(2)GPI domain 1 and as controls IgA/G/M rheumatoid factor (RF), IgG anti–cyclic citrullinated peptide 2 (anti-CCP2) and anti–thyroid peroxidase (anti-TPO) were investigated in Sudanese females. RESULTS: Pregnant Sudanese women had significantly higher median levels of IgA anti-CL, IgA anti-β(2)GPI (p < 0.0001 for both antibodies using two assays) and IgM anti-β(2)GPI (both assays; p < 0.0001 and 0.008) compared with non-pregnant Sudanese. IgA anti-CL and anti-β(2)GPI occurrence was increased among Sudanese pregnant women compared with national controls. No corresponding increase during pregnancy was found for IgA anti-β(2)GPI domain 1 antibodies. Both IgG anti-CL and IgG control autoantibodies decreased during and directly after pregnancy among Sudanese. Serially followed Swedish women showed no changes in IgA aPL, whereas IgG/M anti-CL decreased. CONCLUSIONS: IgA aPL are increased in Sudanese but not in Swedish women, without corresponding increase in IgA domain 1. Whether due to ethnicity and/or environmental influences the occurrence of IgA aPL during Sudanese pregnancies, and its clinical significance, is yet to be determined.