Update of the guidelines for lupus anticoagulant detection. Subcommittee on Lupus Anticoagulant/Antiphospholipid Antibody of the Scientific and Standardisation Committee of the International Society on Thrombosis and Haemostasis.

One of the conclusions of the subcommittee meeting on Lupus Anticoagulant/Phospholipid dependent antibodies, held in Geneva on 2007, was the need to update the guidelines on Lupus Anticoagulant (LA) detection. Particular emphasis was given to several aspects discussed in this official communication. A new paragraph is dedicated to the patient selection, and aims to minimize inappropriate requests for LA testing. Modalities for blood collection and processing are fully delineated and the choice of tests is limited to dRVVT and a sensitive aPTT. Calculation of cut-off values for each diagnostic step are clearly stated. A final paragraph reports the interpretation of the results in general and in particular situations.