Antiphospholipid syndrome
Updates to Article Attributes
Antiphospholipid syndrome is a systemic autoimmune disorder. It is usually defined as the clinical complex of vascular occlusion and ischaemic events occurring in patients who have circulating antiphospholipid antibodies.
Pathology
Patients have circulating antiphospholipid antibodies cross-react with cell membrane phospholipids. This results in a hypercoagulable state leading to vascular thrombosis. It can affect multiple organ systems:
- abdominal manifestations of antiphospholipid syndrome
- thoracic manifestations of antiphospholipid syndrome
- cerebral manifestations of antiphospholipid syndrome
The disorder can be primary (primary antiphospholipid syndrome) or secondary (i.e. associated with systemic lupus erythematosus). There are two painmain types of antibodies 3:
Markers
Paradoxically, a patient's coagulation profile will show an elevated aPTT suggesting a propensity to bleeding, however this is not the case. Positive lupus anticoagulant and anticardiolipin antibodies are seen but are not specific for antiphospholipid syndrome 6.
-</ul><p>The disorder can be primary (<a href="/articles/primary-antiphospholipid-syndrome">primary antiphospholipid syndrome</a>) or secondary (i.e. associated with <a href="/articles/systemic-lupus-erythematosus">systemic lupus erythematosus</a>). There are two pain types of antibodies <sup>3</sup>:</p><ul>- +</ul><p>The disorder can be primary (<a href="/articles/primary-antiphospholipid-syndrome">primary antiphospholipid syndrome</a>) or secondary (i.e. associated with <a href="/articles/systemic-lupus-erythematosus">systemic lupus erythematosus</a>). There are two main types of antibodies <sup>3</sup>:</p><ul>
-<li>-<a href="/articles/lupus-anticoagulant">lupus anticoagulant</a> </li>-</ul>- +<li><a href="/articles/lupus-anticoagulant">lupus anticoagulant</a></li>
- +</ul><h5>Markers</h5><p>Paradoxically, a patient's coagulation profile will show an elevated aPTT suggesting a propensity to bleeding, however this is not the case. Positive lupus anticoagulant and anticardiolipin antibodies are seen but are not specific for antiphospholipid syndrome <sup>6</sup>.</p>
References changed:
- 6. Keswani S & Chauhan N. Antiphospholipid Syndrome. J R Soc Med. 2002;95(7):336-42. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1177/014107680209500705">doi:10.1177/014107680209500705</a> - <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12091507">Pubmed</a>
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