DEEP VENOUS THROMBOSIS AND LUPUS ANTICOAGULANT - A CASE-CONTROL STUDY

Background. A definite evidence in favour of an association of deep-ve in thrombosis (DVT) with lupus anticoagulant (LA) in patients free fro m systemic lupus erythematosus is still lacking. Methods. In a case-co ntrol study, LA was determined in 176 consecutive outpatients who unde rwent phlebography because of the first episode of clinically suspecte d DVT of lower limbs. The association between DVT and LA was described using odds ratios (OR). Results. Contrast venography confirmed the cl inical suspicion in 59 patients (33.5%). LA was detected in 5 of the 5 9 patients with DVT (8.5%), and in none of the 117 subjects with norma l venogram (P=0.007). The OR for having an acute DVT in patients with LA was 10.7 (95% CI: 1.2-94.2). Conclusions. LA is significantly assoc iated with DVT in symptomatic patients. Further studies are needed to establish the clinical implications of this association.