Diagnosis and management of non-criteria obstetric antiphospholipid syndrome

2015 ◽  
Vol 113 (01) ◽  
pp. 13-19 ◽  
Author(s):  
Samuel J. Machin ◽  
Ian J. Mackie ◽  
Hannah Cohen ◽  
Deepa R. Jayakody Arachchillage
Keyword(s):  
Antiphospholipid Syndrome ◽  
In Vitro Fertilisation ◽  
International Consensus ◽  
Clinical Criteria ◽  
Pregnancy Morbidity ◽  
Glycoprotein I ◽  
Retrospective Cohort Studies ◽  
Obstetric Antiphospholipid Syndrome ◽  
Obstetric Aps

SummaryAccurate diagnosis of obstetric antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) is a prerequisite for optimal clinical management. The international consensus (revised Sapporo) criteria for obstetric APS do not include low positive anticardiolipin (aCL) and anti β2 glycoprotein I (aβ2GPI) antibodies (> 99th centile) and/or certain clinical criteria such as two unexplained miscarriages, three non-consecutive miscarriages, late preeclampsia, placental abruption, late premature birth, or two or more unexplained in vitro fertilisation failures. In this review we examine the available evidence to address the question of whether patients who exhibit non-criteria clinical and/or laboratory manifestations should be included within the spectrum of obstetric APS. Prospective and retrospective cohort studies of women with pregnancy morbidity, particularly recurrent pregnancy loss, suggest that elimination of aCL and/or IgM aβ2GPI, or low positive positive aCL or aβ2GPI from APS laboratory diagnostic criteria may result in missing the diagnosis in a sizeable number of women who could be regarded to have obstetric APS. Such prospective and retrospective studies also suggest that women with non-criteria obstetric APS may benefit from standard treatment for obstetric APS with low-molecular-weight heparin plus low-dose aspirin, with good pregnancy outcomes. Thus, non-criteria manifestations of obstetric APS may be clinically relevant, and merit investigation of therapeutic approaches. Women with obstetric APS appear to be at a higher risk than other women of pre-eclampsia, placenta- mediated complications and neonatal mortality, and also at increased long-term risk of thrombotic events. The applicability of these observations to outcomes in women with non-criteria obstetric APS remains to be determined.

Is There an Additional Value in Detecting Anticardiolipin and Anti-β2 glycoprotein I IgA Antibodies in the Antiphospholipid Syndrome?

2020 ◽  
Vol 120 (11) ◽  
pp. 1557-1568
Author(s):  
Walid Chayoua ◽  
Dong-mei Yin ◽  
Hilde Kelchtermans ◽  
Gary W. Moore ◽  
Jean-Christophe Gris ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Antiphospholipid Syndrome ◽  
Immunoglobulin A ◽  
Clinical Manifestations ◽  
Pregnancy Morbidity ◽  
Medical Centers ◽  
Glycoprotein I ◽  
Iga Antibodies ◽  
Obstetric Aps ◽  
Current Criterion ◽  
Additional Value

Abstract Background Anticardiolipin (aCL) and anti-β2 glycoprotein I (aβ2GPI) immunoglobulin A (IgA) antiphospholipid antibodies (aPL) have shown to associate with thrombosis and pregnancy morbidity. However, inclusion of IgA aPL in the classification criteria of the antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) has been debated. We investigated the value of aCL and aβ2GPI IgA aPL in the detection of thrombosis and pregnancy morbidity in addition to the current aPL panel for APS. Methods We included 1,068 patients from eight European medical centers: 259 thrombotic APS patients, 122 obstetric APS patients, 204 non-APS thrombosis patients, 33 non-APS obstetric patients, 60 APS patients with unspecified clinical manifestations, 196 patients with autoimmune diseases, and 194 controls. aCL and aβ2GPI IgG/M/A were detected with four commercial assays and lupus anticoagulant was determined by the local center. Results Positivity for IgA aPL was found in 17 to 26% of the patients with clinical manifestations of APS and in 6 to 13% of the control population. Both aCL and aβ2GPI IgA were significantly associated with thrombosis and pregnancy morbidity. Isolated IgA positivity was rare in patients with clinical manifestations of APS (0.3–5%) and not associated with thrombosis and/or pregnancy morbidity. Addition of IgA to the current criterion panel did not increase odds ratios for thrombosis nor pregnancy morbidity. Conclusion aCL and aβ2GPI IgA are associated with clinical manifestations of APS. However, isolated IgA positivity was rare and not associated with thrombosis or pregnancy morbidity. These data do not support testing for aCL and aβ2GPI IgA subsequent to conventional aPL assays in identifying patients with thrombosis or pregnancy morbidity.

Microparticles: An Alternative Explanation to the Behavior of Vascular Antiphospholipid Syndrome

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel Álvarez ◽  
Carolina Rúa ◽  
Ángela P.J. Cadavid
Keyword(s):  
Autoimmune Disease ◽  
Antiphospholipid Syndrome ◽  
Antiphospholipid Antibodies ◽  
Alternative Explanation ◽  
Murine Models ◽  
Vascular Thrombosis ◽  
Pregnancy Morbidity ◽  
Clinical Presentations ◽  
Obstetric Antiphospholipid Syndrome

AbstractAntiphospholipid syndrome is an autoimmune disease characterized by the persistent presence of antiphospholipid antibodies, along with occurrence of vascular thrombosis and pregnancy morbidity. The variety of antiphospholipid antibodies and their related mechanisms, as well as the behavior of disease in wide groups of patients, have led some authors to propose a differentiation of this syndrome into two independent entities: vascular and obstetric antiphospholipid syndrome. Thus, previous studies have discussed whether specific autoantibodies may be responsible for this differentiation or, in contrast, how the same antibodies are able to generate two different clinical presentations. This discussion is yet to be settled. The capability of serum IgG from patients with vascular thrombosis to trigger the biogenesis of endothelial cell-derived microparticles in vitro is one of the previously discussed differences between the clinical entities of antiphospholipid syndrome. These vesicles constitute a prothrombotic mechanism as they can directly lead to clot activation in murine models and recalcified human plasma. Nevertheless, other indirect mechanisms by which microparticles can spread a procoagulant phenotype could be critical to understanding their role in antiphospholipid syndrome. For this reason, questions regarding the cargo of microparticles, and the signaling pathways involved in their biogenesis, are of interest in attempting to explain the behavior of this autoimmune disease.

Relationship between antiphosphatidylserine/prothrombin and conventional antiphospholipid antibodies in primary antiphospholipid syndrome

2015 ◽  
Vol 53 (8) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ariela Hoxha ◽  
Amelia Ruffatti ◽  
Elena Mattia ◽  
Lauro Meneghel ◽  
Marta Tonello ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Antiphospholipid Syndrome ◽  
Antiphospholipid Antibodies ◽  
Primary Antiphospholipid Syndrome ◽  
Clinical Criteria ◽  
Pregnancy Morbidity ◽  
Glycoprotein I ◽  
Coagulation Tests ◽  
Healthy Control ◽  
Independent Risk Factors ◽  
Ig G

AbstractAntiphosphatidylserine/prothrombin complex (aPS/PT) antibodies are emerging as an important marker for antiphospholipid syndrome (APS). We aimed to compare their performance with that of conventional antiphospholipid antibodies (aPL) such as lupus anticoagulant (LA), anticardiolipin (aCL), and anti-β2-glycoprotein I (anti-β2GPI) in APS and to assess their frequency in APS-negative (APS-ne) patients.We considered 160 APS patients and 128 APS-ne patients with clinical criteria for APS but tested negative for conventional aPL. Immunoglobulin (Ig)G/IgM aPS/PT, IgG/IgM aCL, and IgG/IgM anti-β2GPI were detected using ELISA assay and LA with a series of coagulation tests.IgG aPS/PT were significantly associated with IgG aCL, IgG anti-β2GPI, and LA (p<0.0001 for all). IgM aPS/PT were significantly associated only with LA (p<0.0001) instead. There was a significant correlation between IgG aPS/PT and both IgG aCL and IgG anti-β2GPI levels (ρ=0.42 and ρ=0.40, respectively). Both IgG aPS/PT and IgM aPS/PT positivity significantly correlated with LA (ρ=0.44 and ρ=0.5, respectively). IgG and IgM aPS/PT were significantly more frequent in triple than in double and in single positivity (p<0.0001). According to multivariate analysis, IgG and/or IgM aPS/PT were independent risk factors for LA. APS/PT antibodies were found in 9.4% of the APS-ne patients vs. 2% of healthy control (p=0.043); those antibodies were significantly more frequent in the thrombosis with respect to the pregnancy morbidity subset (p=0.01).Our data attribute a clinical relevance to both IgG and IgM aPS/PT antibodies. In particular, the significant prevalence of aPS/PT in APS-ne patients suggests including them as additional laboratory criterion for APS.

scholarly journals Recent advances in understanding antiphospholipid syndrome

F1000Research ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 5 ◽  
pp. 2908 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maria Laura Bertolaccini ◽  
Giovanni Sanna
Keyword(s):  
Antiphospholipid Syndrome ◽  
Antiphospholipid Antibodies ◽  
Anticardiolipin Antibodies ◽  
Coagulation Cascade ◽  
Systemic Autoimmune Disease ◽  
Vascular Thrombosis ◽  
Clinical Criteria ◽  
Pregnancy Morbidity ◽  
Glycoprotein I ◽  
Hughes Syndrome

Antiphospholipid syndrome (APS), also known as Hughes Syndrome, is a systemic autoimmune disease characterized by thrombosis and/or pregnancy morbidity in the presence of persistently positive antiphospholipid antibodies. A patient with APS must meet at least one of two clinical criteria (vascular thrombosis or complications of pregnancy) and at least one of two laboratory criteria including the persistent presence of lupus anticoagulant (LA), anticardiolipin antibodies (aCL), and/or anti-b2 glycoprotein I (anti-b2GPI) antibodies of IgG or IgM isotype at medium to high titres in patient’s plasma. However, several other autoantibodies targeting other coagulation cascade proteins (i.e. prothrombin) or their complex with phospholipids (i.e. phosphatidylserine/prothrombin complex), or to some domains of β2GPI, have been proposed to be also relevant to APS. In fact, the value of testing for new aPL specificities in the identification of APS in thrombosis and/or pregnancy morbidity patients is currently being investigated.

β2 Glycoprotein I (β2GPI) binds platelet factor 4 (PF4): implications for the pathogenesis of antiphospholipid syndrome

Blood ◽  
2010 ◽  
Vol 115 (3) ◽  
pp. 713-723 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marina P. Sikara ◽  
John G. Routsias ◽  
Martina Samiotaki ◽  
George Panayotou ◽  
Haralampos M. Moutsopoulos ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Antiphospholipid Syndrome ◽  
Platelet Factor 4 ◽  
Size Exclusion ◽  
Affinity Column ◽  
Platelet Factor ◽  
Pregnancy Morbidity ◽  
Antibody Recognition ◽  
Glycoprotein I ◽  
Exclusion Chromatography

Abstract Antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) is an autoimmune thrombophilia characterized by arterial/venous thrombosis and/or pregnancy morbidity in the presence of antiphospholipid antibodies that mainly recognize β2 glycoprotein I (β2GPI). To investigate potential platelet ligands of β2GPI, platelet membrane proteins from healthy persons and patients with APS were passed through a β2GPI-affinity column. By using mass spectrometry, platelet factor 4 (PF4) appeared as the dominant β2GPI binding protein. PF4 could bind in vitro, with high-affinity, recombinant β2GPI, and the binding was abrogated by soluble β2GPI. Coprecipitation experiments further confirmed this interaction. In silico molecular docking showed that PF4 tetramers can bind 2 β2GPI molecules simultaneously. Size exclusion chromatography confirmed that anti-β2GPI antibodies selectively interact with complexes composed of (β2GPI)2–(PF4)4. In addition, as shown by the β2GPI antigenicity evaluation, the reactivity of APS sera was higher against PF4–β2GPI complex than against β2GPI alone. On complex formation, anti-β2GPI–β2GPI–PF4 significantly induced platelet p38MAPK phosphorylation and TXB2 production, mainly through F(ab′)2 fragments of antibodies. In summary, this study makes evident that β2GPI forms stable complexes with PF4, leading to the stabilization of β2GPI dimeric structure that facilitates the antibody recognition. This interaction can probably be involved in the procoagulant tendency of APS.

scholarly journals Challenges in the Diagnosis of the Antiphospholipid Syndrome

2010 ◽  
Vol 56 (6) ◽  
pp. 930-940 ◽  
Author(s):  
Katrien Devreese ◽  
Marc F Hoylaerts
Keyword(s):  
Antiphospholipid Syndrome ◽  
Antiphospholipid Antibodies ◽  
Lupus Anticoagulant ◽  
Complex Disease ◽  
Clinical Manifestations ◽  
Clinical Role ◽  
Clinical Criteria ◽  
Pregnancy Morbidity ◽  
Glycoprotein I ◽  
Coagulation Tests

Abstract Background: The antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) is an important cause of acquired thromboembolic complications and pregnancy morbidity. Its diagnosis is based on clinical and laboratory criteria, defined by strict guidelines. The original clinical and laboratory criteria for the identification of APS patients were published in 1999, in the so-called Sapporo criteria. In 2006 these criteria were revised, and recently more precise guidelines for analysis of the lupus anticoagulant have been provided. However, several questions related to the diagnosis of APS remain unanswered. Content: In addition to providing a historical perspective, this review covers several challenges in the diagnosis of APS with respect to clinical and laboratory features, while highlighting pathogenic pathways of the syndrome. We discuss ongoing dilemmas in the diagnosis of this complex disease. Although antiphospholipid antibodies are found in association with various clinical manifestations, the older established clinical criteria were not substantively altered in the 2006 update. Several laboratory tests recommended in the latest criteria, including phospholipid-dependent coagulation tests for the detection of the lupus anticoagulant and ELISAs for measuring anticardiolipin and β2-glycoprotein I antibodies, still show methodological and diagnostic shortcomings. In addition, antiphospholipid antibodies have been described against other antigens, but their clinical role remains uncertain. Conclusions: Despite updated APS criteria, diagnosis of this syndrome remains challenging. Further research on clinically relevant antibodies and standardization of their detection are needed to improve clinical risk assessment in APS.

scholarly journals A brief history of antiphospholipid antibodies and antiphospholipid syndrome

2018 ◽  
Vol 28 (3) ◽  
pp. 31097
Author(s):  
Henrique Luiz Staub ◽  
Lia Portella Staub
Keyword(s):  
Antiphospholipid Syndrome ◽  
Lupus Erythematosus ◽  
Antiphospholipid Antibodies ◽  
Anticardiolipin Antibody ◽  
Early Years ◽  
Clinical Criteria ◽  
Pregnancy Morbidity ◽  
History Of ◽  
Obstetric Aps ◽  
Definition Of

AIMS: To review the historical reports on antiphospholipid antibodies (aPL) from the early years of the 20th century; to outline the cardinal features of the antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) from 1983 on, including clinical criteria, etiopathogenesis and current therapy.METHODS: Literature review using PubMed. Articles on the history of aPL and APS were selected.RESULTS: The original aPL were described in patients with syphilis yet in 1906 by Wassermann. A first definition of lupus anticoagulant was proposed in 1963,while the anticardiolipin antibody (aCL) test was depicted twenty years later. The APS, initially reported by Hughes in 1985as the “aCL syndrome”, is one of the most prevalent acquired thrombophilia. Venous and arterial thrombosis, associated or not to pregnancy morbidity, comprise the main features. It is a novel disorder firstly associated to systemic lupus erythematosus. A primary form of APS was put forward in 1989, and many APS variants are currently known. Lifelong, full-dose anticoagulation is the mainstream for treatment of thrombotic APS. In obstetric APS, the combination of acetil-salicilic acid and enoxoparin has been a mostly effective therapy.CONCLUSIONS: The sequential characterization of aPL since Wassermann in 1906, and later of the APS in the 1980-thies, is a rather interesting example of how a new entity is sketched step by step. APS is an intriguing novel cause of autoimmune thrombophilia, with a complex pathogenesis and a plethora of clinical and laboratory abnormalities. Treatment is based on life-long anticoagulation. 

scholarly journals Comparative study of obstetric antiphospholipid syndrome (OAPS) and non-criteria obstetric APS (NC-OAPS): report of 1640 cases from the EUROAPS registry

Rheumatology ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 59 (6) ◽  
pp. 1306-1314 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jaume Alijotas-Reig ◽  
Enrique Esteve-Valverde ◽  
Raquel Ferrer-Oliveras ◽  
Luis Sáez-Comet ◽  
Elmina Lefkou ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Antiphospholipid Syndrome ◽  
Laboratory Data ◽  
Obstetric Complications ◽  
Maternal Outcomes ◽  
Clinical Criteria ◽  
Prospective Multicentre Study ◽  
Thrombotic Complications ◽  
Obstetric Antiphospholipid Syndrome ◽  
Obstetric Aps

Abstract Objectives To compare clinical features, laboratory data and fetal-maternal outcomes between 1000 women with obstetric APS (OAPS) and 640 with aPL-related obstetric complications not fulfilling Sydney criteria (non-criteria OAPS, NC-OAPS). Methods This was a retrospective and prospective multicentre study from the European Registry on Obstetric Antiphospholipid Syndrome. Results A total of 1650 women with 5251 episodes, 3601 of which were historical and 1650 latest episodes, were included. Altogether, 1000 cases (OAPS group) fulfilled the Sydney classification criteria and 650 (NC-OAPS group) did not. Ten NC-OAPS cases were excluded for presenting thrombosis during follow-up. All cases were classified as category I (triple positivity or double positivity for aPL) or category II (simple positivity). Overall, aPL laboratory categories showed significant differences: 29.20% in OAPS vs 17.96% in NC-OAPS (P &lt; 0.0001) for category I, and 70.8% in OAPS vs 82% in NC-OAPS (P &lt; 0.0001) for category II. Significant differences were observed when current obstetric complications were compared (P &lt; 0.001). However, major differences between groups were not observed in treatment rates, livebirths and thrombotic complications. In the NC-OAPS group, 176/640 (27.5%) did not fulfil Sydney clinical criteria (subgroup A), 175/640 (27.34%) had a low titre and/or non-persistent aPL positivity but did meet the clinical criteria (subgroup B) and 289/640 (45.15%) had a high aPL titre but did not fulfil Sydney clinical criteria (subgroup C). Conclusion Significant clinical and laboratory differences were found between groups. Fetal-maternal outcomes were similar in both groups when treated. These results suggest that we could improve our clinical practice with better understanding of NC-OAPS patients.

Antiphospholipid Syndrome: Diagnostic Aspects of Lupus Anticoagulants

2001 ◽  
Vol 86 (07) ◽  
pp. 83-91 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Arnout
Keyword(s):  
Monoclonal Antibodies ◽  
Antiphospholipid Syndrome ◽  
Autoimmune Disorder ◽  
Coagulation Factors ◽  
Laboratory Diagnosis ◽  
Anticardiolipin Antibodies ◽  
Lupus Anticoagulants ◽  
Glycoprotein I ◽  
Antigen Antibody

SummaryAntiphospholipid syndrome (APS) is an autoimmune disorder in which antiphospholipid antibodies (aPL) are thought to be involved in the development of venous and/or arterial thrombosis. APL found in this syndrome are antibodies directed against a variety of phospholipid (PL) binding-proteins of which β2-glycoprotein I (β2GPI) and prothrombin are considered to be the major antigens. Some of these antibodies prolong PL-dependent clotting reactions and are termed lupus anticoagulants (LA). Autoimmune aPL which bind through β2GPI to cardiolipin are called anticardiolipin antibodies (aCL). Clinical studies indicate that LA is a stronger risk factor for thrombosis than aCL. The production of monoclonal antibodies against β2GPI and prothrombin has enabled us to understand the mechanism by which LA prolong coagulation in vitro. LA form bivalent antigen-antibody complexes with increased affinity for PL which compete with coagulation factors for the same catalytic surface. These LA positive monoclonal antibodies may be helpful in further improving the laboratory diagnosis of LA.

scholarly journals The efficacy of hydroxychloroquine in altering pregnancy outcome in women with antiphospholipid antibodies

2016 ◽  
Vol 115 (02) ◽  
pp. 285-290 ◽  
Author(s):  
Savino Sciascia ◽  
D. Ware Branch ◽  
Roger A. Levy ◽  
Saskia Middeldorp ◽  
Sue Pavord ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Pregnancy Outcome ◽  
Clinical Judgment ◽  
Fetal Outcome ◽  
Current Treatment ◽  
Low Dose Aspirin ◽  
Improve Pregnancy Outcome ◽  
Obstetric Antiphospholipid Syndrome ◽  
Obstetric Aps ◽  
Obstetrical Outcome

SummaryThe use of low-dose aspirin and heparinoids has improved the pregnancy outcome in obstetric antiphospholipid syndrome (APS). However, current treatment fails in 20–30 % of APS pregnancies, raising the need to explore other treatments to improve obstetrical outcome. Hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) is widely used in patients with autoimmune diseases, mainly systemic lupus erythematous (SLE), due to its anti-inflammatory, anti-aggregant and immune-regulatory properties. Evidence from in vitro and animal models suggests a potential protective effect of HCQ in obstetric APS. Pending the availability of prospective trials, we aimed to systematically review the available evidence and to assess the clinical judgment of a panel of experts regarding the use of HCQ in improving pregnancy outcome in women with anti-phospholipid antibodies (aPL). Clinical data on the ability of HCQ to improve pregnancy outcome in women with aPL are very limited in the available literature. Only one cohort study evaluating maternal and fetal outcome of pregnancy in patients with SLE who were exposed to HCQ was identified. Four of 14 (29 %) treated with HCQ patients had pregnancy failure, compared with six of 24 (25 %) of patients not treated with HCQ. However, the effect of HCQ was not adjusted for the use of other medications such as aspirin, heparins or steroids. Selected experts were contacted by e-mail and asked to review the summary of the evidence provided by the working group and to briefly answer each of the proposed questions. Overall, the panel of experts agreed that adding HCQ could be considered in selected cases or after failure of standard treatment with aspirin and a heparin agent. Specifically, the majority of experts considered adding HCQ in specific scenarios, such as women with previous thrombosis (either arterial and/or venous), and/or with previous ischaemic placenta-mediated complications. Prospective studies are necessary before the use of HCQ during pregnancy in women with aPL should be routinely recommended for clinical practice.

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