Objectives. aCL and anti-beta(2) glycoprotein I antibody (a beta(2)GPI) are autoantibodies associated with thromboembolic diseases. Here we investigated whether they are correlated with ischaemic cardiovascular disease in a Chinese population. Methods. Serum total aCL and a beta(2)GPI isotypes (IgA, IgG or IgM, separately) were measured in 11 015 Chinese adults. Differences of antibody level between disease and non-disease groups were examined by t-test. The correlation between antibody and ischaemic cardiovascular disease was determined by logistic regression analysis. Performance of risk prediction models employed aCL or a beta(2)GPI isotypes was evaluated by C statistic, net reclassification improvement index and integrated discrimination improvement. Results. Total aCL and a beta(2)GPI isotypes maintained low levels and increased with increasing age except total aCL and a beta(2)GPI IgG in participants older than 70 years. When distinguishing ischaemic cardiovascular disease by coronary heart disease (CHD) and ischaemic stroke, the stroke group had higher levels of aCL and a beta(2)GPI isotypes than the non-stroke group, while the CHD group only had a slightly higher a beta(2)GPI IgG than non-CHD groups. aCL and a beta(2)GPI were positively correlated with stroke but not with CHD, and improved the performance of conventional risk factors for stroke risk prediction, with C statistic from 0.769 (95% CI 0.744, 0.793) to 0.777 (95% CI 0.754, 0.800) (a beta(2)GPI IgG, P = 0.0091), and 0.778 (95% CI 0.754, 0.801) (a beta(2)GPI IgA, P = 0.0793). Stroke risk could be better reclassified by aCL and a beta(2)GPI, in association with both net reclassification improvement and integrated discrimination improvement statistics (P<0.05). Conclusion. aCL and a beta(2)GPI are associated with ischaemic stroke and have added value for stroke risk prediction.