Antiphospholipid syndrome (APS): investigations
Written and reviewed by Dr Ibrahim Imam, Consultant Neurologist. Last reviewed .
Antiphospholipid syndrome (APS): investigations. Unprovoked proximal deep vein thrombosis (DVT). Fully referenced neurology checklist.
Indications for APS screening
- Unprovoked proximal deep vein thrombosis (DVT)
- Unprovoked pulmonary embolism
- Ischaemic stroke in young adults under the age of 50 years
- Recurrent pregnancy loss before 10 weeks of gestation
Major antibody tests
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Other tests
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Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) brain
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References
- Cervera R, Piette JC, Font J, et al. Clinical and immunologic manifestations and patterns of disease expression in a cohort of 1,000 patients. Arthritis Rheum 2002; 46:1019-1027.
- Keeling D, Mackie I, Moore GW, et al. Guidelines on the investigation and management of antiphospholipid syndrome. Br J Haematol 2012; 157:47-58.
- Bertolaccini ML, Gomez S, Pareja JF, et al. Antiphospholipid antibody tests: spreading the net. Ann Rheum Dis 2005; 64:1639-1643.
- Naftali J, Barnea R, Eliahou R, et al. Significance of cerebral microinfarcts in antiphospholipid syndrome: A population-based study. Int J Stroke 2025; 20:186-195.
- Naftali J, Keret O, Manor O, et al. Brain atrophy is associated with antiphospholipid antibody syndrome with and without vascular pathology. J Neurol Sci 2025; 472:123460.
