Update on anti-phospholipid antibodies in SLE: the Hopkins' Lupus Cohort.

Anti-phospholipid antibodies are common in patients in the Hopkins' Lupus Cohort: 47% have anti-cardiolipin, 32.5% anti-beta(2)-glycoprotein I and 26% lupus anticoagulant (by dRVVT confirmatory testing). Systemic lupus erythematosus patients with the lupus anticoagulant at baseline have a 50% chance of a deep venous thrombosis/pulmonary embolus in the next 20 years. Anti-phospholipid antibodies differ in their association with thrombosis: the lupus anticoagulant is most strongly associated with arterial and venous thrombosis and is the only anti-phospholipid antibody associated with myocardial infarction. Anti-phospholipid antibodies are not associated with atherosclerosis.