title: Which antiphospholipid antibody tests are most useful?
abstract: Despite an active international effort to improve diagnosis and treatment of the antiphospholipid syndrome (Hughes syndrome), there remain problems of lack of standardization and lack of prospective and multivariate epidemiologic analysis which restrict the diagnostic and predictive ability of commercially available tests. Nevertheless, current published series provide some data from which strategic approaches can be used to maximize the efficiency and usefulness of available tests. For further updates on new research and developments of interest to physicians and patients with this syndrome, the following web sites may prove helpful: www.slrapls.org, www.hematology.org, www.acforum.org, www.americanheart.org, www.rarediseases.org, www.aarda.org, and www.lupus.org.
authors.affiliation: Division of Rheumatology, St. Luke's-Roosevelt Hospital Center, New York, New York, USA. jtm5@columbia.edu
authors.forename: J T
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Merrill
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D017152:Antibodies, Antiphospholipid / Q000032:analysis; D016736:Antiphospholipid Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000276:immunology*; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000032:analysis / Q000276:immunology; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007118:Immunoassay / Q000379:methods; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000032:analysis; D008180:Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / Q000150:complications* / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications; D012307:Risk Factors; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013927:Thrombosis / Q000209:etiology*
chemical_list: D017152:Antibodies, Antiphospholipid; D001323:Autoantibodies; D007074:Immunoglobulin G