Diagnosis of antiphospholipid antibodies.
The antiphospholipid antibody syndrome consists of a presentation with venous thrombosis, arterial thrombosis (or vasculopathy), recurrent pregnancy loss, or thrombocytopenia, in the setting of high-titer anticardiolipin antibody or lupus anticoagulant. Characteristics of the lupus anticoagulant (an antibody detected by a functional assay) and anticardiolipin antibody are reviewed, in light of new information on the role of plasma proteins, especially B2-glycoprotein I. The advantages and disadvantages of screening and confirmatory assays for lupus anticoagulant are detailed, as well as modifications of the anticardiolipin antibody assay to improve sensitivity and specificity.
Petri
M
M
Division of Molecular and Clinical Rheumatology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland.
D017153:Antibodies, Anticardiolipin / Q000097:blood; D017152:Antibodies, Antiphospholipid / Q000097:blood*; D016736:Antiphospholipid Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D006801:Humans; D016682:Lupus Coagulation Inhibitor / Q000097:blood; D008180:Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / Q000276:immunology
D017153:Antibodies, Anticardiolipin; D017152:Antibodies, Antiphospholipid; D016682:Lupus Coagulation Inhibitor