Lupus Anticoagulant Panel Test-Why am I having this test?

Lupus anticoagulant panel test can be used to help find the cause of abnormal blood clotting. Your health care provider may recommend this test if:

• You are a woman and have had repeated miscarriages, preterm labor, or high blood pressure in pregnancy (preeclampsia).
• You have had previous blood tests showing a longer-than-normal blood clotting time or a lower-than-normal number of platelets (thrombocytopenia).
• Your health care provider suspects that you have a condition called antiphospholipid syndrome.
• You have systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE, or lupus) or your health care provider suspects that you have this condition.
• Your health care provider suspects that you have some type of rheumatic disease.

What is being tested?

This test checks your blood for certain autoantibodies (lupus anticoagulant autoantibodies) that can interfere with the normal blood clotting process. Autoantibodies are proteins that your body’s defense system (immune system) makes to help fight invading germs, such as bacteria and viruses. Sometimes, the body mistakes normal tissues for abnormal ones, and it attacks those tissues as if they were invading germs. This is called an autoimmune response.

The autoantibodies checked for in this test can mistakenly attack phospholipids, which are a normal part of many types of cells in the body. When blood clotting cells (platelets) are attacked by antiphospholipid antibodies, abnormal blood clotting can occur. When this happens, you are at an increased risk of developing repeated blood clots in your arteries and veins. You are also at an increased risk for heart attack or stroke.

What kind of sample is taken?

A blood sample is required for this test. It is usually collected by inserting a needle into a blood vessel or by sticking a finger with a small needle.

Tell a health care provider about:

• All medicines you are taking, including vitamins, herbs, eye drops, creams, and over-the-counter medicines.
• Any medical conditions you have.

How are the results reported?

Your test results will be reported as values that indicate whether lupus anticoagulant autoantibodies were found in your blood. Your health care provider will compare your results to normal values that were established after testing a large group of people (reference values). Reference values may vary among labs and hospitals. For this test, common normal reference values are:

• Less than 11 MPL (IgM phospholipid units).
• Less than 23 GPL (IgG phospholipid units).

What do the results mean?

Results that are higher than the reference values may indicate the following health conditions:

• Lupus.
• Antiphospholipid syndrome.

Talk with your health care provider about what your results mean.

Questions to ask your health care provider

Ask your health care provider, or the department that is doing the test:

• When will my results be ready?
• How will I get my results?
• What are my treatment options?
• What other tests do I need?
• What are my next steps?

Summary

• The lupus anticoagulant panel test can be used to help find the cause of abnormal blood clotting.
• This test checks your blood for certain proteins (autoantibodies) that can interfere with the normal blood clotting process.
• The autoantibodies checked for in this test can mistakenly attack phospholipids, which are a normal part of many types of cells in the body. If the autoantibodies attack blood clotting cells (platelets), you may develop frequent blood clots.
• Talk with your health care provider about what your test results mean.