Lupus and Antiphospholipid Antibody Syndrome

Topic Overview

About 1 in 3 people with lupus produce an antibody that attacks certain blood-clotting factors, which can cause the blood to clot easily.¹ A person who has this antibody and has had blood clots is said to have antiphospholipid antibody syndrome. This 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. When diagnosed, the condition is usually treated with anticoagulants. Pregnant women with antiphospholipid antibody syndrome require close monitoring.

Related Information

• Lupus (Systemic Lupus Erythematosus)

References

Citations

1. Crow MK (2008). Systemic lupus erythematosus. In L Goldman, D Ausiello, eds., Cecil Textbook of Medicine, 23rd ed., pp. 2022–2032. Philadelphia: Saunders Elsevier.

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