The University of Toledo Translation Journal of Medical Sciences 
Internal Medicine Abstract, Department of Medicine Research Symposium UTJMS 2023 May 5; 11(1):e1-e2 

Prevalence and Clinical Significance of 
Antiphospholipid Antibodies in 
Hospitalized Patients with COVID-19 
Infection 
Sishir Doddi BS1*, Navkirat Kahlon, MD1, Pemja Shazadeh Safavi, MD1, Ziad 
Abuhelwa, MD1, Taha Sheikh, MD2, Cameron Burmeister, MD1, Ragheb Assaly, 
MD3, William Barnett, MS1 

1Division of Internal Medicine, Department of Medicine, The University of Toledo, 
Toledo, OH 43614 
2Department of Neurology, The University of Toledo, Toledo, OH 43614 
3Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine, The 
University of Toledo, Toledo, OH 43614 

*Corresponding author: Sishir.Doddi@rockets.utoledo.edu

Published: 05 May 2023 

Introduction: The pathophysiology of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) may involve both arterial 
and venous thromboembolic events; however, current literature shows variance in incidence. Previous 
literature suggests that the presence of antiphospholipid antibodies (APA) is an important factor for 
thrombosis in COVID-19 patients. This single-institution retrospective study aims to find if the 
prevalence of APA in COVID-19 patients has any clinical significance. 

Methods: Two cohorts were made based on APA status of the patients (APA positive & APA negative) 
and were statistically compared. The criteria for the APA positive group include patients with positive 
titers for lupus anticoagulant or abnormal APA antibodies. A Mann-Whitney U-test for continuous 
variables or a Fisher’s exact test for categorical variables was used to compare prognostic outcomes and 
laboratory values for the two groups. 

Results: No significant difference in demographics was found between the two groups. 39.3% of 
patients hospitalized with COVID-19 were APA+ and APA positive status is significantly higher in 
smokers. No statistically significant difference was found in six-month mortality between the two 
groups. It was statistically found that APA+ patients had a higher nadir of C-reactive protein lab values 
and a lower nadir of absolute lymphocyte count.  

Conclusion: While some laboratory values differ between the two groups, prognostic outcomes of 
patients were not statistically different between the APA positive and APA negative patients. Currently 

https://dx.doi.org/10.46570/utjms.vol11-2023-687 

https://dx.doi.org/10.46570/utjms.vol11-2023-687
mailto:Sishir.Doddi@rockets.utoledo.edu


https://dx.doi.org/10.46570/utjms.vol11-2023-687 UTJMS 11(1):e1-e2 

https://dx.doi.org/10.46570/utjms.vol11-2023-687 2 ©2023 UTJMS 

it is unknown if antiphospholipid antibodies have a role in the pathogenicity of COVID-19 and further 
studies are needed to determine their role in thrombotic events in these patients. 

https://dx.doi.org/10.46570/utjms.vol11-2023-687
https://dx.doi.org/10.46570/utjms.vol11-2023-687