HEMOSTATIC ABNORMALITIES IN SYSTEMIC LUPUS-ERYTHEMATOSUS

  • 1 January 1983
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 52  (207) , 424-433
Abstract
Coagulation studies were performed in 112 consecutive patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Abnormalities of hemostatic function occurred frequently and 96 abnormalities occurred in 64 of 112 (57%) patients. Patients (18; 16%) had thrombocytopenia, 19 (16.9%) had circulating anticoagulants and 24 had decreased antithrombin III levels. Abnormalities of fibrinogen were found in 28 patients (23%), and abnormalities of platelet factor 3 and 4, indicating in vivo platelet activation occurred in 7 patients. In 25 patients, .gtoreq. or more abnormalities were detected simultaneously. No hemostatic abnormalities were detected in any of the 50 healthy volunteers who served as controls. Only 1 patient with thrombocytopenia had petechiae. None of the other patients, even those with multiple defects bled significantly, but several patients had vasculitis and/or phlebitis. There was no correlation between disease activity of SLE and the presence of hemostatic abnormalities, nor was there an association between these abnormalities and specific clinical hemotologic manifestations.