Thromb Haemost 2013; 109(02): 207-213
DOI: 10.1160/TH12-07-0527
Blood Coagulation, Fibrinolysis and Cellular Haemostasis
Schattauer GmbH

Prevalence of antibodies to prothrombin in solid phase (aPT) and to phosphatidylserine-prothrombin complex (aPS/PT) in patients with and without lupus anticoagulant

Maria Laura Bertolaccini
1   Lupus Research Unit, The Rayne Institute, Division of Women’s Health, King’s College London, UK
,
Savino Sciascia
1   Lupus Research Unit, The Rayne Institute, Division of Women’s Health, King’s College London, UK
,
Veronica Murru
1   Lupus Research Unit, The Rayne Institute, Division of Women’s Health, King’s College London, UK
,
Cesar Garcia-Fernandez
1   Lupus Research Unit, The Rayne Institute, Division of Women’s Health, King’s College London, UK
,
Giovanni Sanna
2   Louise Coote Lupus Unit, Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust, St Thomas’ Hospital, London, UK
,
Munther A. Khamashta
1   Lupus Research Unit, The Rayne Institute, Division of Women’s Health, King’s College London, UK
2   Louise Coote Lupus Unit, Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust, St Thomas’ Hospital, London, UK
› Author Affiliations
Financial support: MLB is funded by the Louise Gergel Fellowship. This work was supported by grants from the St Thomas’ Lupus Trust.
Further Information

Publication History

Received: 30 July 2012

Accepted after major revision: 28 October 2012

Publication Date:
29 November 2017 (online)

Summary

Antibodies to prothrombin in solid phase (aPT) and those to phosphatidiyserine- prothrombin complex (aPS/PT) have been suggested to strongly correlate with the presence of lupus anticoagulant (LA). As their clinical diagnostic value and true relationship with the LA remains elusive, we designed this study to evaluate the prevalence and significance of aPT and aPS/PT in a large cohort of patients with and without LA. Samples from 257 patients were included. aPT and aPS/PT were tested by ELISA. LA was tested as per the current criteria from the ISTH Subcommittee on LA-Phospholipid-dependent antibodies. aPS/PT and aPT were found in 51% and 32% of LA-positive (LA+ve) patients and in 22% and 28% of LA-negative (LA-ve) patients, respectively. Thrombosis, particularly venous thrombosis was associated with IgG aPT in the LA+ve group (p=0.0006) and in the LA-ve group (p=0.017). Antibodies to phosphatidylserine-prothrombin, either IgG and IgM were associated with thrombosis in general (p=0.0003) in particularly with venous thrombosis in the LA+ve group (p<0.0001 for IgG and p=0.025 for IgM; respectively) and the LA-ve group (p=0.028, 0.02 and 0.001, respectively). Further multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that LA and of IgG and/or IgM aPS/PT were independent risk factors for thrombosis and pregnancy loss. In conclusion, aPS/PT, but not aPT, are more frequently found in patients with LA. Their association with thrombosis seems to be independent of the presence of LA.

 
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