ANTIBODIES LINKED TO STROKES DOCTORS: CONDITION TRIGGERS SEIZURES

                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: SUNDAY, February 2, 1992                   TAG: 9202020032
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL                    PAGE: A3   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: PHOENIX                                LENGTH: Medium
ANTIBODIES LINKED TO STROKES DOCTORS: CONDITION TRIGGERS SEIZURES
Renegade antibodies appear to be a major underlying cause of strokes, possibly triggering about 10 percent of the seizures in the United States, researchers said Saturday.
Doctors first noticed about 10 years ago that stroke victims often have antibodies in their blood that are directed against phospholipids, a key part of all cells in the body. But until now, no clear evidence existed that they played any role in causing strokes.
The new research, conducted at 16 hospitals, found that people with recent strokes were twice as likely as other folks to have these antibodies in their bloodstreams.
The findings indicate these antibodies could be as important a risk factor for stroke as diabetes, which has long been recognized as increasing the chances of stroke.
"This may be a risk factor of major public health importance," said Dr. Steven J. Kittner of the University of Maryland.
He presented the findings at a stroke conference sponsored by the American Heart Association.
Stroke is the nation's third leading cause of death after heart attacks and cancer. It kills 145,000 Americans annually.
The new research found that about 10 percent of stroke victims have the antibodies.
Dr. Steven R. Levine of Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit said an American suffers a stroke every minute, meaning that "once every 10 minutes, there is a stroke in this country associated with these antibodies."
Dr. Robin L. Brey of the University of Texas in San Antonio said the work suggests that for at least some victims, stroke is an autoimmune disease, caused by a misguided attack of the body on itself.
Such attacks might occur when the body mistakes its own tissue for a virus or some other invader. Similar mix-ups are thought to account for multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis and other diseases.

by Bhavesh Jinadra by CNB