The current standing of diagnosis of antiphospholipid syndrome associated with systemic lupus erythematosus

Antiphosphatidylethanolamine Antibodies and Deep Vein Thrombosis in Lupus Patients with Antiphospholipid Syndrome

Backgroud. Which factors determine venous thrombotic events in some antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) patients and arterial thrombosis or conditions related to pregnancy in others has not been established yet. Purpose. The aim of this study was to search the antiphospholipid antibodies (APLAs) correlates in regard to deep vein thrombosis (DVT) in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and APS. Methods. Twenty-nine patients fulfilling the criteria of both SLE and APS were included. Complete anamnesis and clinical examination was performed on inclusion. Also, for all patients, disease activity was assessed by the SLEDAI score. An extended APLAs profile, ten Abs, was searched. Results. The titers of IgG anticardiolipin (aCL), IgG anti-β2 glycoprotein I (aβ2GPI), IgG antiphosphatidylethanolamine (aPE), and also of IgG antiprothrombin (aPT) were significant higher in patients with DVT history. After analysis by ROC curve and univariate logistic regression, the strongest association was found for IgG aPE. Also, in multivariate analysis, SLEDAI score correlated with the DVT antecedents. Conclusions. IgG aPE might be involved in DVT pathogenic pathways in patients with SLE and APS as their titers remain significantly higher in patients with previous DVT. Lupus patients with DVT events represent a subgroup of patients with more severe underlying pathology.

Anti-phospholipid Antibodies and Smoking: An Overview

Antiphospholipid syndrome is characterized by the presence of antiphospholipid antibodies, specifically lupus anticoagulant, anticardiolipin antibodies, and anti-β2 glycoprotein-I antibodies. Antiphospholipid syndrome can occur on its own or in association with other autoimmune diseases, most commonly systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). A connection between cigarette smoking and anti-phospholipid antibodies (aPL) was first reported in the late1980s. Systemic lupus erythematosus patients with aPL are more likely to be smokers than those without aPL. These patients have a particularly high frequency of vascular events. Recently, a potential link between periodontitis, tobacco, and aPL has been proposed. Research has also suggested that periodontitis and Porphyromonas gingivalis infection are associated with citrullination through the action of peptidylarginine deiminase. A strong correlation between smoking and the presence of citrillunated autoantibodies, which are characteristic of rheumatoid arthritis, has also been observed. While many studies have investigated possible links between infection and aPL in patients with autoimmune diseases, the association of smoking with aPL has not been systematically examined. The fact that both aPL and tobacco are risk factors for thrombosis has complicated efforts to evaluate these factors separately. Also, there has been great variability in measurement techniques, and laboratories lack routine methods for differentiating transient and persistent aPL; both of these factors can make interpretation of autoantibody results quite challenging. This review summarizes the clinical evidence supporting a posited link between aPL and smoking, both in patients with a systemic autoimmune disease and in patients with other medical conditions.