THIS TEST MEASURES THE LEVEL OF IGM ANTIBODIES IN YOUR BLOOD THAT TARGET PHOSPHOLIPIDS, A TYPE OF FAT MOLECULE. THESE ANTIBODIES CAN INTERFERE WITH BLOOD CLOTTING, POTENTIALLY LEADING TO COMPLICATIONS LIKE BLOOD CLOTS, MISCARRIAGES, OR STROKES. HIGH LEVELS OF IGM PHOSPHOLIPID ANTIBODIES MAY INDICATE AN AUTOIMMUNE DISORDER CALLED ANTIPHOSPHOLIPID SYNDROME (APS).

TESTING FOR PHOSPHOLIPID ANTIBODIES IS INDICATED IN CASES OF UNEXPLAINED ARTERIAL / VENOUS THROMBOSIS, PREGNANCY WITH UNEXPLAINED FETAL DEATHS, SPONTANEOUS ABORTIONS, PRESENCE OF UNEXPLAINED CUTANEOUS CIRCULATORY DISTURBANCE LIKE LIVIDO RETICULARIS AND PRESENCE OF SYSTEMIC RHEUMATIC DISEASE LIKE LE. THIS TEST IS ALSO USED IN CASES OF UNEXPLAINED THROMBOCYTOPENIA, HEMOLYTIC ANEMIA & NON-BACTERIAL THROMBOTIC ENDOCARDITIS.

SM/RNP ANTIBODY IS DETECTED IN PATIENTS WITH MIXED CONNECTIVE TISSUE DISEASE. ANTIBODIES TO SM ARE HIGHLY SPECIFIC FOR SYSTEMIC LUPUS ERYTHEMATOSUS (SLE) AND WHEN PRESENT ARE CONSIDERED A MARKER ANTIBODY. HOWEVER, THESE ANTIBODIES ARE FOUND IN ONLY 20% OF PATIENTS WITH SLE. RNP ANTIBODIES ARE FOUND IN 45% OF SLE PATIENTS BUT ARE ALSO OBSERVED IN NUMEROUS OTHER DISEASE STATES SUCH AS SJ GRENS SYNDROME, SCLERODERMA AND POLYMYOSITIS. IN SLE, RNP ANTIBODIES HAVE BEEN ASSOCIATED WITH A RELATIVELY BENIGN DISEASE COURSE WITH LOWER INCIDENCE OF RENAL AND CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM INVOLVEMENT.

DS-DNA ANTIBODY IS DETECTED IN PATIENTS WITH ACTIVE SLE AND APPROXIMATELY 20% OF PATIENTS WITH MIXED CONNECTIVE TISSUE DISEASE.