Antiphospholipid antibodies and the risk of thrombosis in myeloproliferative neoplasms

The morbidity and mortality of BCR-ABL-negative myeloproliferative neoplasia (MPN) patients is highly dependent on thrombosis that may be affected by antiphospholipid antibodies (aPLA) and lupus anticoagulant. Our aim was to evaluate the association of the aPLA together with platelet receptor glycoprotein (GP) Ia/IIa c.807C>T CT/TT genotypes and thrombotic complications in patients with MPNs. The study included 108 patients with BCR-ABL-negative MPN with data of previous thrombosis. Two different screening and one confirmatory test for the lupus anticoagulant were performed. Thrombotic complications were present in 59 (54.6%) subjects. aPLA were more frequently found in MPN patients with thrombosis vs no thrombosis (25.4 and 6.1%; p = 0.007). MPN patients with arterial thrombosis were more frequently positive for aPLA vs no arterial thrombosis (38.8 and 11.9%; p = 0.001). aPLA were more frequently found in patients with cerebrovascular events vs other arterial thrombotic complications or no thrombosis, respectively (39.3, 6.1, and 12.9%; p < 0.001). MPN patients with thrombosis were more frequently positive with aPLA and had platelet receptor GP Ia/IIa c.807C>T CT/TT genotypes compared to MPN patients without thrombosis (18.6 and 2.0%; p = 0.006). aPLA alone or with coexistence with platelet receptor GP Ia/IIa c.807C>T CT/TT polymorphism could be associated with thrombotic complications in patients with MPN.