Lupus Anti-Coagulant (Last Updated - 2/26/2005)

-aka. Anti-Phospholipid Antibody Syndrome
-pts. require chronic oral anti-coagulation with Warfarin (Coumadin)
-The INR cannot be used to monitor coag functions in these pts. because they already have a prolonged PT @ baseline
-use anti-factor Xa assay to monitor instead

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References:

Goodman & Gilman's: The Pharmacologic Basis Of Therapeutics - 10th Edition - 2001. Chapter 55.