title: Dos and don'ts in diagnosing antiphospholipid syndrome.
abstract: Antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) is an acquired autoimmune thrombotic tendency that is identified by the presence of abnormal antiphospholipid laboratory tests in patients who have a history of vascular thrombosis and/or pregnancy complications including recurrent spontaneous miscarriages and a group of other complications due to placental insufficiency. Diagnostic testing for APS is often problematic because of many misconceptions regarding these empirically derived assays. This chapter is intended to provide hematology-oncology consultants with practical information about the uses and limitations of assays used to diagnose APS.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, NY, USA. jrand@montefiore.org
authors.forename: Jacob H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Rand
authors.forename: Lucia R
authors.initials: LR
authors.lastname: Wolgast
mesh_terms: D000026:Abortion, Habitual / Q000276:immunology; D017152:Antibodies, Antiphospholipid / Q000276:immunology; D016736:Antiphospholipid Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000235:genetics*; D001792:Blood Platelets / Q000166:cytology; D002308:Cardiolipins / Q000378:metabolism; D005169:Factor VIII / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D005260:Female; D006405:Hematology / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D007020:Hypoprothrombinemias / Q000378:metabolism; D007118:Immunoassay / Q000379:methods; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000276:immunology; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000276:immunology; D010314:Partial Thromboplastin Time; D011247:Pregnancy; D011250:Pregnancy Complications, Hematologic; D012306:Risk; D013927:Thrombosis
chemical_list: D017152:Antibodies, Antiphospholipid; D002308:Cardiolipins; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007075:Immunoglobulin M; D005169:Factor VIII