The Antiphospholipid Antibody Panel: What Every NP Needs to Know (and the Pitfalls That'll Bite You) Unexplained clots, pregnancy losses, and a lab panel that's trickier than it looks.
The Antiphospholipid Antibody Panel: What Every NP Needs to Know (and the Pitfalls That'll Bite You) Unexplained clots, pregnancy losses, and a lab panel that's trickier than it looks. Antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) is one of those diagnoses that's simultaneously under-recognized and over-tested. In primary care, we see the patients who present with the red flags—unexplained DVT in a 30-year-old, recurrent pregnancy losses, a stroke in someone who "shouldn't" be having one. But the lab panel itself is full of pitfalls that can lead to misdiagnosis in both directions. Let's walk through this one together. What Is APS, in Plain English? APS is an autoimmune disorder where the body produces antibodies against phospholipid-binding proteins. Despite the name "antiphospholipid" (which sounds like it should cause bleeding), these antibodies paradoxically cause clotting —both venous and arterial—plus pregnancy complications. APS can occur alone (prim...