situations which require to test for antiphospholipid antibodies (APS)

Last reviewed 01/2018

The following are considered as indications for testing for antiphospholipid antibodies:

• thrombosis
• arterial thrombosis before the age of 50
• unprovoked venous thrombosis before the age of 50
• recurrent thrombosis
• thrombosis at an unusual site
• patients with both arterial and venous thrombotic events
• any patient admitted with thrombotic microangiopathy of unknown aetiology
  
  
• obstetric manifestation
• one or more unexplained fetal loss after 10 weeks gestation
• unexplained severe intrauterine growth restriction
• early or severe pre-eclampsia
• three or more spontaneous miscarriages before 10 weeks of gestation
  
  
• patients with SLE
• at baseline
• repeat testing before pregnancy, surgery, transplantation and use of oestrogen containing treatments or in the presence of new neurological, vascular or obstetric event (1)

Reference:

• (1) Cohen D et al. Diagnosis and management of the antiphospholipid syndrome. BMJ. 2010;340:c2541