Prevalence of antiphospholipid antibodies in Syrian patients with thrombosis.
BACKGROUND
Antiphospholipid antibodies (aPL) are a heterogeneous family of antibodies associated with thrombosis and other complications.


OBJECTIVE
To study the prevalence of aPL in patients with thrombosis at Aleppo University Hospitals, Syria.


METHODS
One hundred and fifty-seven patients with venous and arterial thrombosis and 63 healthy controls were studied. Anticardiolipin antibodies (aCL) and Lupus anticoagulant (LA) were determined.


RESULTS
Thirty-four out of 157 (21.7%) patients with thrombosis had some type of aPL. aPL was also found in four healthy subjects (4/63=6.3%). Eighteen patients (11.5%) were positive for LA, 20 (12.7%) for aCL antibodies and 4 (2.6%) were positive for more than one aPL. Patients without risk factors for thrombosis and having positive aPL were 23/34 (67.7%). Fourteen out of 78 (17.9%) patients with arterial thrombosis, and 20/79 (25.3%) with venous thrombosis were positive for at least one aPL.


CONCLUSIONS
Our study showed a significant prevalence of aPL in patients with thrombosis. It seems that aPL is a risk factor for venous and arterial thrombosis, especially in patients with no conventional risk factors.
Deeb
Ali
A
Departments of Internal Medicine, Aleppo University, Syria. dr.alideeb@hotmail.com
Hamdoun
Said
S
Dababo
Khaled
K
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017153:Antibodies, Anticardiolipin / Q000097:blood*; D017152:Antibodies, Antiphospholipid / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016682:Lupus Coagulation Inhibitor / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D013593:Syria / Q000453:epidemiology; D013927:Thrombosis / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult
D017153:Antibodies, Anticardiolipin; D017152:Antibodies, Antiphospholipid; D016682:Lupus Coagulation Inhibitor