Lupus anticoagulant in the elderly may be associated with both quinine and quinidine usage.
Thirty-one patients aged over 60 yrs and with lupus anticoagulant (LA) were reviewed for their drug intake. Twenty-three (73%) were taking cinchona alkaloids, 10 (32%) quinine for night cramps, 11 (35%) quinidine for cardiac arrhythmia and 2 (6%) were taking both. These frequencies of drugs usage differed significantly from age and sex matched controls (p < 0.001). Five patients had features suggestive of the antiphospholipid syndrome. Repeat testing showed persistent LA activity in all but 2 of 5 patients in whom the relevant drug had been ceased. This is the first description of a possible causal association between LA and quinine therapy.
Bird
M R
MR
Department of Medicine, Austin and Repatriation Medical Centre, Heidelberg, Victoria.
O'Neill
A I
AI
Buchanan
R R
RR
Ibrahim
K M
KM
Des Parkin
J
J
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D016736:Antiphospholipid Syndrome / Q000139:chemically induced; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016682:Lupus Coagulation Inhibitor / Q000032:analysis*; D008297:Male; D011802:Quinidine / Q000009:adverse effects*; D011803:Quinine / Q000009:adverse effects*; D012189:Retrospective Studies
D016682:Lupus Coagulation Inhibitor; D011803:Quinine; D011802:Quinidine