[Antiphospholipid antibodies and haemostasis]

Abstract

The antiphospholipid syndrome is characterized by recurrent thrombosis and pregnancy morbidity in association with the persistent presence of autoantibodies called antiphospholipid antibodies. Antiphospholipids are a heterogeneous group of circulating autoantibodies associated with a risk of thrombosis and can paradoxically prolong in vitro the clotting times. In the past few years, significant improvement has been made in understanding the pathophysiologic mechanisms of the disease, thus raising the possibility of future predictive test for the risk of thrombosis. The aim of this review is to make an overview on how the antiphospholipids increase the risk of thrombosis and to provide an update of the laboratory diagnosis and the possible future therapies.