The lupus anticoagulant can interfere with a number of coagulation tests. One such assay is the latex immunoturbidimetric assay (LIA) for heparin-induced thrombocytopenia.
Effect on testing: false positive test for heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT)
The presence of positive test for HIT antibodies, thrombosis and thrombocytopenia can result in the false diagnosis of HIT.
The patient with a false-positive test:
(1) shows high titers of lupus anticoagulant
(2) may manifest the antiphospholipid syndrome (APS), which can cause thrombosis and thrombocytopenia
Testing for lupus anticoagulant should be considered when encountering a patient who may have heparin-induced thrombocytopenia.
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