Article Text
Autoantibodies
The effects of hydroxychloroquine on antiphospholipid antibody titres in SLE
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Purpose
Treatment with hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) is associated with a decreased risk of thrombosis in APLS. In vitro, HCQ decreases the binding of aPL-beta2 glycoprotein I complexes to phospholipid bilayers and reduces aPL levels in clinical assays. The time-dependent effects of HCQ on aPL in SLE patients have not been studied extensively. We therefore investigated the association of changes in aPL titres over time with HCQ therapy.
Method
We identified all SLE patients followed at a tertiary care centre with aPL or lupus anticoagulant (Lac), which had been checked at least twice between 2002 and 2009. At baseline, patients were defined as aPL/Lac− if they …