[Thrombosis in disseminated lupus erythematosus]

In the course of disseminated lupus erythematosus (DLE), the development of arterial or venous thrombosis is sometimes observed. They are rare in the course of hematological forms of DLE, in which the more or less constant leucopenia is accompanied to variable extent by the affection of the other blood-lines: thrombocytopenia and/or thrombocytopathy and/or hemolytic anemia. The discovery of a circulating anticoagulant seems to be correlated with the existence of thrombosis. In fact it involves antiphospholipid antibodies, responsible for the protraction of certain coagulation tests, which shows up their existence. Recent studies have shown recognition of the membrane phospholipids of the vascular endothelial cell. A functional imbalance in this would be observed to encourage the synthesis of factors favorable to thrombosis.