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Lupus Anticoagulant Syndrome

Lupus anticoagulants, also referred to as LA or lupus inhibitors, are antibodies that attack plasma proteins in the blood. Normally, antibodies help prevent infections by attacking foreign cells in the body, such as bacteria or viruses. In the case of the lupus anticoagulant, however, the antibodies see plasma proteins as foreign bodies and threats, leading to a high risk of clotting.

Approximately 2 percent to 4 percent of the population has lupus anticoagulant in their blood.

Systemic Lupus Erythematosus

Lupus anticoagulants are often found in people who have systematic lupus erythematosus. Systemic lupus erythematosus, also called SLE or lupus, is an autoimmune disease in which a person's autoimmune system attacks the body instead of protecting it. The autoimmune system may attack different parts of the body, including the following:

the blood vessels
the brain
the heart
the joints.

Women are approximately eight times more likely to develop lupus than men. While lupus can develop at any time, lupus frequently starts between the ages of 20 and 45.

African Americans are more likely to develop lupus, followed by people of Japanese and Chinese descent.

Currently, lupus can be treated but not cured. Lupus can be a life-threatening disease, although most lupus patients lead active lives. Often, people with lupus will go through periods of remission and then have the disease reoccur.

Lupus Anticoagulant and Other Conditions

Estimates of the percentage of patients who have systematic lupus erythematosus and who also have lupus inhibitors range from 20 percent to 45 percent. Lupus anticoagulant also appears in people as a result of:

Crohn's Disease
HIV
infections
medications including birth control pills, quinine or amoxicillin
tumors.

In addition, a very small percentage of the population has lupus anticoagulants for no apparent reason.

Lupus Inhibitors Symptoms

Many people who test positive for lupus anticoagulant are asymptomatic, meaning they do not have any symptoms at all. When lupus anticoagulant symptoms do occur, they may include:

abnormal menstrual cycles
bleeding of the nose or gums
blood clots in the legs (deep vein thrombosis) or in the lungs (pulmonary embolism)
bruising
heart attacks
multiple miscarriages
skin rashes
strokes.

If you experience any of these symptoms, schedule an appointment with your doctor. If left untreated, LA can be life threatening.

In order to diagnose lupus anticoagulant, your doctor will perform a blood test. If positive, the test for lupus anticoagulant is repeated at least six weeks later to protect against false positives.

Lupus Anticoagulant Treatments

In many cases, LA does not require any treatments. If the patient does not have a history of problems with lupus anticoagulant, he may simply be monitored.

If LA is caused by medications, the doctor will likely ask the patient to stop taking the drugs. Generally speaking, these patients' blood tests will return normal results within two to three weeks.

LA patients who are also experiencing blood clots will be given medications, such as heparin and Coumadin®, to thin the clots and blood. Physicians may also request that lupus anticoagulant patients take aspirin as a blood thinner. In some cases, patients must take drugs for a prolonged period of time or even for the rest of their lives.

Resources

Arthritis-Symptom.com (n.d.) Lupus Anticoagulant. Retrieved September 24, 2007, from the Arthritis Symptom Web site at: http://arthritis-symptom.com/lupus/lupus-anticoagulant.htm.

Bontempo, Franklin A. (2001). The Lupus Coagulant Update. Retrieved September 24, 2007, from The Institute for Transfusion Medicine Web site: http://www.itxm.org/

TMU2001/tmu5-2001.htm.

Carle Cancer Center (n.d.) Antiphospholipid Antibody Syndrome. Retrieved September 24, 2007, from the Carle Cancer Center Web site: http://www.med.uiuc.edu/

hematology/PtAPS.htm.

National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (n.d.) Handout on Health. Retrieved September 24, 2007, from the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases Web site: http://www.niams.nih.gov/hi/topics/lupus/slehandout/index.htm.

Shield, William C. Jr. (n.d.) Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE or Lupus). Retrieved September 24, 2007, from the MedicineNet Web site: http://www.medicinenet.com

/systemic_lupus/article.htm.