[The antiphospholipid antibody syndrome: its pathogenesis and clinico-morphological manifestations]

Lupus anticoagulant was determined in lupus erythematosus as an antibody inhibiting prothrombin activation in phospholipid coagulation tests without specific suppression of any coagulation factors. The available information concerning properties and mechanisms of action of lupus anticoagulant are rather controversial as there exist a group of similar coagulation inhibitors that represent antiphospholipid antibodies. In spite of a considerable increase of a coagulation test time prothrombin time, partial thromboplastin time, the presence of the lupus anticoagulant is rarely followed by haemorrhagic diathesis. On the contrary, recurring thromboembolic complications, pathology of gestation are observed in patients with this or other antibodies against phospholipids. The appearance of the antiphospholipid antibodies is described in infections, haematological processes, systemic vasculitis, tumours, may be provoked by a long use of some medicinal preparations. Circulation of the lupus coagulant and other antibodies against phospholipids is of a chronic type while in infections diseases it is of an acute transitory character.