Comarmond et al showed that 54.5% of the 15 patients who had SLE had a re-thrombosis, but only 10% had a recurrent event in those who had negative aPL antibodies.54 Schulman et al showed prospectively that aPL-positive patients have a higher risk of thrombosis recurrence compared with aPL-negative patients when they stopped anticoagulation after 6 months (29% vs 14% over 4 years’ follow-up).55 Our results point out how difficult it is to define a patient with SLE as ‘positive’ or ‘negative’ for aPL markers, given the fluctuations over time. This evidence concerns the gene FASLG and deep vein thrombosis.