What are the causes and effects of a low platelet count in SLE?
A low platelet count is usually due to antibodies and less commonly due to drug side-effects. When the count is very low there is an increased risk of bruising and bleeding – this is quite rare. There is also another type of antibody that can arise in lupus which actually increases blood clotting by interfering with the clotting process. This is known as antiphospholipid syndome. It can be a painful condition. Blood clots stop enough blood getting through to certain parts of the body, this results in damage to that part of the body. If a clot occurs, for example in the calf, it is called a deep vein thrombosis (or DVT). Bits of the clot can break off and move with the blood flow to other parts of the body. A bit may lodge in the blood vessels of the lungs and this is called a pulmonary (means lungs) embolism. Blood clots may also occur in the major arteries (large blood vessels which take blood from the heart) which could cause a heart attack or stroke. It is also this antiphospholipid
