Antiphospholipid syndrome

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admin | Jun 02, 2010 | 0 comments
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Antiphospholipid syndrome is a condition characterized by blood clots (thrombosis) in both arteries and veins and various other problems, some life-threatening. It is also called as antiphospholipid antibody syndrome, APLS, APLA, Hughes Syndrome or “Sticky Blood.”

Person with this condition may have deep vein thrombosis (DVT) or may also cause blood clots to form in organs like kidney, lungs, heart and brain.

The exact mechanism of Antiphospholipid syndrome is still unknown but believed that it occurs due to the production of autoimmune antibodies against phospholipids, a cell membrane substance. In the antiphospholipid syndrome, antibodies mistakenly attack either phospholipids or proteins in the blood that bind to phospholipids.

What causes the antiphospholipid syndrome?

There are two main classification of this condition:

Primary: absent of other autoimmune disorder likes SLE.
Secondary: Present of other autoimmune disorder

Other factors associated with developing antiphospholipid antibodies:

Infection : syphilis, HIV infection, hepatitis C
Medication : hydralazine, amoxicillin, amoxicillin
genetic :

What are the symptoms of Antiphospholipid syndrome?

The symptoms of this syndrome depend on where a clot forms.

abdominal pain
chronic headache
migraines
chest pain (due to pulmonary embolism or ischemic heart disease)
rash
sudden haring loss
cognition problem
difficulty in breathing
signs of miscarriage
bleeding diathesis

How Antiphospholipid syndrome diagnosed?

Diagnosis relies on patient’s history, physical examination and lab test, lab test includes present of antibodies to phospholipids in blood, prolonged PTT and present of cardiolipin in antibodies.

How is Antiphospholipid syndrome treated?

Because of having abnormal tendency to form blood clot, treatment is often directed to prevent clot formation. Usually aspirin and warfarin used as anticoagulant .During pregnancy, low molecular weight heparin is used instead of warfarin.

Though anticoagulation therapy during pregnancy may be complicated, the good news is that it usually prevents antiphospholipid syndrome-related miscarriages.

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