Lupus anticoagulant antibodies react with proteins bound to phospholipid, a type of fat molecule that is part of the normal cell membrane, and found in the blood stream. They are also categorized as antiphospholipid antibodies. These antibodies interfere with the normal function of blood vessels and can lead to narrowing of the blood vessels or blood clots. These complications can lead to stroke, heart attack, and miscarriage.
While lupus anticoagulants are typically discovered in systemic lupus erythematosus patients, they are also known to occur in people with other autoimmune diseases, certain infections, and tumors, as well as in people who take certain medications. Typically, 50 percent of those that carry the antibodies do not have lupus.
Sources: Lupus Anticoagulant. William Matsui, MD, Assistant Professor of Oncology, Division of Hematologic Malignancies, The Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins, Baltimore, MD. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. February 2007.
