Routine Lupus Anticoagulant Sensitive aPTT Testing Can Prevent Unnecessary LA Testing

Abstract

Even though routine screening of the general hospital population is discouraged, medical laboratories may use a “lupus sensitive” activated partial thromboplastin time test (aPTT) with phospholipid concentrations that are susceptible to inhibition by lupus anticoagulant (LA), to screen for the presence of LA. If deemed necessary, follow-up testing according to ISTH guidelines may be performed. However, LA testing is a laborious and time-consuming effort that is often not readily available due to a lack of automation and/or temporary unavailability of experienced staff. In contrast, the aPTT is a fully automated test that is available 24/7 in almost all medical laboratories and is easily interpreted with the use of reference ranges. In addition to clinical signs, the result of an LA sensitive aPTT may thus be used to lower the suspicion of the presence of LA and reduce costly follow-up testing. In this study, we show that a normal LA sensitive aPTT result may be safely used to refrain from LA testing in the absence of strong clinical suspicion.