Lupus anticoagulant - how dangerous it is

The blood coagulation system can be influenced by many indicators, which are determined by biochemical blood analysis and coagulogram research, but in any case, it must be remembered that all the indicators should be evaluated by a doctor and based on the evaluation of one indicator only, and the results of a comprehensive study. In some cases, immunological tests, for example, donating blood for antibodies to cardiolipin and lupus anticoagulant, must also be performed to evaluate the coagulation and anticoagulation system.

What is a lupus anticoagulant and its importance in the human body

Under normal conditions, the coagulating and anticoagulant systems of the blood are in equilibrium - due to this the fluidity of blood in the blood vessels remains unchanged in the absence of damage and the formation of a thrombus in injuries and wounds of any localization. Accordingly, with an increase in the concentration of certain substances in the blood serum, compensatory increase should occur in others, only in this case a possible prevention of thrombosis. But the human body can compensate for these changes only to a certain extent, after which the moment comes when even the existing propensity to thrombosis can cause bleeding - the factors responsible for blood clotting will simply not remain in the serum. It is to substances that are capable of causing coagulation disorders, include lupus anticoagulant - a special substance of protein nature, which refers to human immunoglobulins.

These antibodies are produced , as well as antibodies to cardiolipins and phospholipids in general, in the cells of the immune system and most often these substances in the blood are found in patients with various autoimmune diseases. But the problem is also that the lupus anticoagulant, positive during pregnancy, can cause the development of various complications from both the pregnant woman and the fetus. It should be understood that the detection of lupus anticoagulant in the absence of antibodies to different DNA of the patient's body, phospholipids, cardiolipin speaks only of the possibility of developing these side effects and the need for constant medical supervision of the patient.

It should be remembered that the lupus anticoagulant, whose norm with serum ranges from 0.8 to 1.2 conventional units, is not a sufficiently reliable indicator. Therefore, if there is an increased level or even a doubtful result of the study, it is necessary to perform a complex coagulogram with mandatory determination of D-dimer, coagulation time (APTT) and possibly a large number of study indices. Both the prognosis and the tactics of possible treatment of a patient depend on this.

Lupus anticoagulant - when the study is necessary

Immediate blood test for lupus anticoagulant may be required not only for pregnant women. This analysis is prescribed and performed by patients who had arterial and venous thromboses of any location, thromboembolism, sudden hemorrhagic or ischemic strokes before the age of 40 years, without the presence of those diseases in which cerebral blood flow disorders (arterial hypertension, atherosclerotic cardiosclerosis) can develop . Special attention should be paid to young women who during their lifetime had cases of sudden death of the fetus at any period of pregnancy in the absence of genetic diseases and intrauterine infection. Only with constant monitoring of coagulogram, lupus coagulum, antibodies to phospholipids and cardiolipin can an effective treatment be selected - only in this case it is possible to prevent the progression of coagulation disorders.