A possible association between anticardiolipin antibodies (ACA), which are a marker for increased risk of cerebral ischemia, and deficiency of free Protein S, a naturally occurring anticoagulant, has been suspected in some studies of ischemic stroke, particularly in young adults. In order to investigate this further, we prospectively studied all stroke patients </= 65 years of age admitted to our stroke unit during 1991-1992. A total of 66 patients with acute ischemic stroke or transient ischemic attacks (TIA) (embolic/thrombotic infarction n = 30, embolic infarction n = 13, thrombotic infarction n = 10, and TIA n = 13) were analysed for ACA, protein C and S, free protein S and antithrombin III (AT III). Traditional risk factors were scrutinized in each patient. Eight patients had some previously undetected derangement of the coagulation process; five had elevated ACA levels, four had low, free Protein S levels, and three had low AT III levels. None of the patients showed any decrease in total protein C or S levels. A striking association between the presence of ACA and free protein S deficiency was noted. All patients with free protein S deficiency had concomitant elevated ACA levels. Sixteen patients had had a previous episode of ischemic stroke/TIA or mycocardial infarction, two of them had lowered AT III levels. Thirty-four patients had one or more elevated infectious parameters but with no clear correlation to derangement of the coagulation factors. We conclude that a probable association between ACA and free protein S deficiency exist in ischemic stroke patients, and that it may have a pathogenetic importance. Copyright 1998 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins