Levels of autoantibodies against beta-adrenergic receptors and mitochondrial antigens in sera of cardiomyopathic patients estimated by ELISA method.

Levels of autoantibodies against beta-adrenergic receptors and mitochondrial antigens were estimated by the ELISA method in a group of 41 cardiomyopathic children. These results were compared with results obtained from 26 sera of a control group. In the group of cardiomyopathic patients 11 sera with significantly increased levels of autoantibodies against beta-adrenergic receptors and seven sera with increased levels of autoantibodies against mitochondrial antigens were found. In no sample of the control group did we observe sera with increased levels of autoantibodies. Statistical significance of this data was evaluated by chi 2-test (p less than 0.005 or p less than 0.05, resp.).