66: Tissue Factor Pathway of Blood Coagulation

A Pilot Study to Investigate the Tissue Factor Pathway of Blood Coagulation in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) ($35,781)

A grant has been awarded to Dr Murray Adams and Dr Alhossain Khalafallah using funds donated by the Lupus Association.

Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (also known as SLE or Lupus) is an autoimmune disorder that produces a variety of clinical manifestations such as inflammation, skin rashes, arthritis, infections, renal problems, decreased levels of platelets and white blood cells, and blood clots (thrombosis). The reason why SLE patients are more likely to develop blood clots is not known, though it is thought that certain antibodies found in these patients play an important role in affecting the normal blood clotting mechanism. This study will therefore investigate how the major blood clotting pathway is affected in SLE patients and whether it is associated with other changes seen in the disorder eg antibodies found in SLE, inflammation and blood vessel abnormalities. The knowledge gained from this project will aid in understanding how blood clots in SLE occur, which will help in the development of more target specific treatments and/or approaches to therapy in patients with SLE.