Cerebral infarct, TIA, and lupus inhibitor

A lupus inhibitor paradoxically prolongs phospholipid-dependent coagulation assays, but may increase risk of thromboembolism. We studied seven patients with cerebral infarcts and one with TIA who had lupus inhibitor. The average age at onset of cerebral ischemia was 41 years. Three patients had multiple cerebral ischemic events. The activated partial thromboplastin time was longer than that of controls, but usually within normal limits. Other abnormalities included biologic false-positive VDRL, antinuclear antibodies, thrombocytopenia (three patients each), and deep vein thrombosis (two patients).