Antiphospholipid antibody syndrome from lupus

About 25% of people with lupus produce an antibody that attacks certain blood-clotting factors, causing the blood to clot easily.¹ This condition is called antiphospholipid antibody syndrome and can lead to mild or severe blood-clotting complications, including:

• Stroke, transient ischemic attack (TIA), or heart attack.
• Deep vein thrombosis or pulmonary embolism.
• Multi-infarct dementia.
• Gangrene of fingers or toes.
• Kidney disease.
• Preeclampsia, premature birth, and miscarriage or stillbirth, apparently caused by blood circulation problems in the placenta.

Antiphospholipid antibodies can be detected with a blood test. Once diagnosed, the condition is usually treated with anticoagulants. Pregnant women with antiphospholipid syndrome require close monitoring.

Citations

1. Schur PH (2004). Systemic lupus erythematosus. In L Goldman, D Ausiello, eds., Cecil Textbook of Medicine, 22nd ed., vol. 2, pp. 1660–1670. Philadelphia: Saunders.