Data are few and conflicting about the prevalence and risk factors for anti
phospholipid (aPL) antibodies in end-stage renal disease (ESRD). We studied
the prevalence, risk factors and clinical manifestations of lupus anticoag
ulant (LA) and anticardiolipin antibodies (aCL) among ESRD patients (chroni
c hemodialysis (HD) patients and kidney transplant recipients) and blood do
nors. LA was assessed in a large cohort (n=180) of patients by the activate
d partial thromboplastin time (aPTT), dilute Russel's viper venom test (dRV
VT) and lupus anticoagulant-sensitive aPTT reagent (PTT-LA). IgM- and IgG-a
CL were measured by a solid-phase enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA)
in 111 patients (61.5%). The prevalence of aPL was low but, it was higher
in ESRD than blood donors (8.8% (16/180) vs. 0%, P=0.005); the frequency of
aCL was also higher in ESRD than controls (10.8% (12/111) vs, 0%, P=0.002)
, LA was similar in the study and control groups (2.2% (4/180) vs. 0%, NS),
Among HD patients and kidney allograft recipients there was no difference
in LA (3.9% (4/101)vs. 0% (0/79), NS) and aCL frequency (18.6% (8/43) vs. 5
.9% (4/68), NS), aPL was not associated with sex, age, time on HD, post-tra
nsplantation followup, ESRD etiology, thrombotic or hem orrhagic events, or
type of HD membrane; however, these findings must be interpreted with caut
ion, given the low frequency of aPL. In one HD patient LA activity was asso
ciated with multiple thrombosis of the access graft and native veins. In su
mmary, the prevalence of aPL in ESRD is low but nevertheless higher than co
ntrols; LA does not appear to be related to membrane bio-incompatibility an
d it may be linked to vascular thrombosis; the lack of concordance between
LA and aCL was apparent. Further studies are needed to clarify the issue of
aPL in ESRD. LA testing should be incorporated into the diagnostic evaluat
ion of recurrent thrombotic episodes in patients on HD.