CLINICAL AND IMMUNOLOGICAL CORRELATIONS IN PATIENTS WITH SYSTEMICLUPUS ERYTHEMATOSUS WITH ANTIPHOSPHOLIPID ANTIBODY SYNDROME

Abstract

Antiphospholipid antibodies (aPL): lupus anticoagulant (LA), anticardiolipin antibodies (aCL) and anti-β2-glycoprotein I antibodies (anti-β2GPI) are found in 12 to 44% of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients. On average, antiphospholipid antibody syndrome (APS) develops in50% of aPL-positive patients with SLE. The seronegative APS is characterized by the absence of the diagnostic levels of "classical" aPL and by the presence of non-criteria aPL: antibodies against pro- thrombin (aPT), antibodies against annexin V, antibodies against phosphatidylethanoamine (aPE), antibodies to phosphatidylserine/prothrombin complex (aPS-PT) and antibodies against negatively charged phospholipids. The presence of four antibodies (LA + aCT + anti-β2GPI + aPT) is associated with a threefold increase in the risk of thrombosis. The presence of aCL and anti-β2GPI in SLE patients with APS and recurrent thromboses is associated with the HLA dRB1 * 0402.