Refresher Course: Anticardiolipin Antibodies

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Anticardiolipin Antibodies are autoimmune antibodies against

phospholipids or plasma proteins in the blood. They show the blood has

the possibilities of causing a disease called the antiphospholipid

syndrome (APS). Classically, it is a lab test ordered as a part of any

blood work-up looking for clotting problems in the body.

Anticardiolipin Antibodies cause the blood to clot faster than normal.

This action causes large clots to form in the blood vessels of the body.

These clots usually show up first in the the deep veins of the calf of

the leg. These Deep Vein Thrombosis are painful and are usually what

cause the patient to first approach a doctor.

Anticardiolipin Antibodies can also cause clotting problems in the eyes.

The capillaries in the whites of the eyes are extremely tiny. When a

clot forms the capillaries usually burst causing the " white " of the eye

to appear completely red. The small blood clots can also form inside the

eye causing small " floaters " to appear in the eyesight. The clots float

around in the viscous fluid inside the eye coming into line of vision

periodically. Some people say it is like having a gnat floating around

in from of you.

Treatment usually includes a blood thinner such as heparin followed by

Warfarin; if the blood clots appear in the legs the drug of choice is

heparin given as injections.