Question

All of the following statements about antiphospholipid antibody syndrome (APLA) are true except:

• A. Single titre anticardiolipin is diagnostic
• B. Commonly presents with recurrent fetal loss
• C. May cause pulmonary hypertension
• D. Warfarin is given as treatment

Hint:

APLA needs a positive antibody on two occasions 12 weeks apart, not one.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is A

Step 1: The question asks for the false statement about antiphospholipid antibody syndrome.

Step 2: Diagnosis needs both a clinical event and a laboratory test, and the lab test must be persistently positive. The criteria require the antibody (anticardiolipin, lupus anticoagulant, or anti beta-2 glycoprotein I) to be positive on at least two occasions at least 12 weeks apart. A single titre can be a transient false positive after infection, so it is not diagnostic. Option A is therefore false.

Step 3: Recurrent fetal loss from placental thrombosis is a defining obstetric feature, so option B is true.

Step 4: Repeated pulmonary emboli and small vessel thrombosis can raise pulmonary pressures, so pulmonary hypertension is a recognised complication and option C is true.

Step 5: Long-term anticoagulation with warfarin is the mainstay treatment after thrombosis, so option D is true.

Step 6: The untrue statement is that a single anticardiolipin titre is diagnostic.

Correct option: A.