Antiphospholipid syndrome

Antiphospholipid syndrome is an autoimmune disorder in which persistent antiphospholipid antibodies are associated with blood clots, pregnancy complications, or both.

Antiphospholipid antibodies: Autoantibodies that bind phospholipid-binding proteins and are associated with thrombosis and pregnancy complications. They define the syndrome’s laboratory profile, though their presence alone does not establish the diagnosis.
Sydney classification criteria: Consensus criteria requiring defined clinical events and persistent antiphospholipid antibodies for research classification. They specify the clinical and laboratory findings commonly used to classify the syndrome.
Deep vein thrombosis: A blood clot in a deep vein, usually in the leg or pelvis. It is a common venous presentation that can prompt evaluation for the syndrome.
Systemic lupus erythematosus: A chronic autoimmune disease that can affect the skin, joints, kidneys, blood, and other organs. Antiphospholipid syndrome may occur alongside lupus, but it can also occur independently.
β2-glycoprotein I: A plasma protein that binds negatively charged phospholipids and is a major target of antiphospholipid antibodies. Antibody interactions with this protein can activate cells involved in clotting.
Lupus anticoagulant: An antiphospholipid antibody activity that prolongs phospholipid-dependent clotting tests in vitro and is associated with thrombosis in vivo. Testing for it is a key part of laboratory assessment and requires attention to anticoagulant interference.
Pulmonary embolism: A blockage of a pulmonary artery, usually caused by a clot that traveled from a vein. It can occur when a venous clot associated with the syndrome embolizes to the lungs.
Autoimmunity: An immune response directed against the body's own molecules or tissues. The syndrome is a specific autoimmune condition defined by its antibody-associated clinical events.
Coagulation: The biological process that forms a fibrin clot to stop bleeding after vessel injury. The syndrome shifts this normally protective system toward unwanted clot formation.
Anticardiolipin antibody: An autoantibody measured in blood that binds cardiolipin-related targets and can occur in antiphospholipid syndrome. Its level and persistence contribute to laboratory evaluation of suspected disease.

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