test Details

Presence of Lupus Anticoagulant Antibodies

When foreign intruders like viruses and bacteria enter your body, antibodies fight them off. Antibodies are glycoproteins that help you fight foreign bodies. Your immune system produces a unique type of antibody known as lupus anticoagulant. Unlike other antibodies that attack diseases in the body, lupus anticoagulants attack healthy cells and cell proteins.

They specifically target phospholipids which are essential components of cell membranes. Lupus anticoagulants interfere with the blood clotting process and enhance an individual’s chances of developing a blood clot. The lupus anticoagulant test can be a single blood test or a series of tests that detect the presence of LA in your blood.

In most cases, it is a specific blood test conducted to check if your body has lupus anticoagulants. If you have blood clots that cannot be explained, you may need to take this test.

Symptoms of a blood clot can be swelling, discolouration, pain, numbness or breathing difficulty. Multiple miscarriages can also be a sign of the presence of LAs.

Blood clots can be dangerous to your health as they can lead to a stroke, pulmonary embolism or heart attack. Symptoms of a blood clot in the lungs or heart area can be chest pain, excessive sweating or dizziness. Early diagnosis can help determine the course of treatment.

That is why lupus anticoagulant tests are crucial for individuals with blood clot symptoms. If you get abnormally high levels of the LA test, your doctor will prescribe other special blood-clotting tests for diagnosis.

Some of these are anticardiolipin antibodies, MRVVT, kaolin clotting time and activated partial thromboplastin time. Multiple miscarriages are a pivotal cause of lupus anticoagulants in Indian women.

Other names of Lupus Anticoagulant test

• MRVVT
• Modified Russell Viper Venom Test
• Lupus Inhibitor
• LA sensitive PTT
• DRVVT
• LA Anticoagulant Panel
• PTT-LA

What does the lupus anticoagulant test detect (or)measure and who is it for?

The lupus anticoagulant test detects if your body is making lupus anticoagulant antibodies. These antibodies belong to the antiphospholipid antibody family and can lead to autoimmune and blood clot disorders. It is vital to detect these at an early stage as blood clots can lead to a stroke, heart attack or other severe complications.

The lupus anticoagulant test is used for the diagnosis of unexplained blood clots in the body. Some of the symptoms of blood clots include:

• Swelling
• Breathing difficulty
• Chest pain
• Numbness or pain
• Dizziness
• Fatigue
• Discolouration
• Redness
• Excessive sweating
• Belly ache
• Diarrhoea
• Bloody stool

Women with multiple miscarriages can also be asked to take this test. If you have taken other blood tests in the past indicating that your blood takes a long time to clot, you might be asked to take the lupus anticoagulant blood test.

If lupus anticoagulant antibodies are found in your blood, you might be asked to take a second test after 12 weeks. It helps the doctor find out if the condition is permanent or temporary. The lupus anticoagulant test can be conducted on both adults and minors of all genders.

The main component of a lupus anticoagulant test is lupus anticoagulant antibodies. The normal range of lupus anticoagulants is 20-39 GPL or MPL units. If the LA range is higher than the normal range, it can be problematic. Many labs give the result as positive/negative or present/absent.

If they are present above the normal range, then the doctor will conduct a test again after 12 weeks. The reason for conducting another test is to confirm whether they are still present. Lupus Anticoagulant test results may vary depending on your gender, health, medical history and age. The medical professional will keep all these factors in mind during diagnosis.

A relatively higher lupus anticoagulant level doesn’t necessarily indicate a problem. There are several other blood clotting and autoimmune disorder tests that’ll be recommended by your doctor for further detection.

If you get negative lupus anticoagulant test results but have an autoimmune disorder, your doctor might repeat the lupus anticoagulant test later. It helps them understand if the anticoagulant bodies start developing later.

The results of a lupus anticoagulant test are based on the analysis of a blood sample drawn from a vein in the arm using a needle.

Test Preparation

Preparing for a lupus anticoagulant test is an otherwise trouble-free process. Unlike many other blood tests, it doesn’t require fasting. However, before taking the lupus anticoagulant blood test, you must communicate all the medicines and supplements you consume to your healthcare professional.

Your blood sample is collected by inserting a needle into your arm’s veins. The overall procedure takes hardly 5-6 minutes to complete.

Test inclusions: What parameters are included?

A lupus anticoagulant test measures the level of lupus anticoagulant antibodies in the blood. The values of lupus anticoagulant antibodies in the body give an estimate of blood clotting levels or potential autoimmune disorders.

If the lupus anticoagulant test results are positive, it can indicate an autoimmune disorder.

How frequently should you take this test?

A random lupus anticoagulant test helps with the diagnosis of LAs in your blood. It is vital to diagnose these antibodies as they can result in autoimmune disorders.

If the results of a lupus anticoagulant test confirm a diagnosis, the doctor can also recommend another examination. In most cases, the test is repeated after 12 weeks of the diagnosis to check if the LAs are still present.