Patent ID: 7745146

Claim:
A method of detecting an autoantibody in a subject suspected of having an acute atherosclerotic syndrome comprising the steps of: a) obtaining a serum or plasma sample from the subject, wherein the serum or plasma sample may contain IgA autoantibodies specific for β 2 -Glycoprotein I (β 2 -GPI); b) contacting the serum or plasma sample with a polypeptide consisting of β 2 -GPI domain 4 and domain 5 to form a complex between the polypeptide and the IgA autoantibodies; c) detecting the IgA antibodies autoantibodies in the complex to establish a level of IgA autoantibodies in the serum or plasma; and d) comparing the level of IgA autoantibodies in the complex to a control level of IgA autoantibodies in serum or plasma from healthy control individuals; wherein if the level of IgA autoantibodies in the complex is greater than the control level, this indicates that the subject may have an acute atherosclerotic syndrome.