Terminology
Both words in the term "lupus anticoagulant" can be misleading:
- Most patients with a lupus anticoagulant do not actually have lupus erythematosus, and only a small proportion will proceed to develop this disease (which causes joint pains, skin problems and renal failure, amongst other complications). Patients with lupus erythematosus are more likely to develop a lupus anticoagulant than the general population.
- The term "anticoagulant" accurately describes its function in vitro. However in vivo, it functions as a pro-coagulant.
Read more about this topic: Lupus Anticoagulant