Antiphospholipid Antibodies and Syndrome
摘要
Antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) is the association of thrombosis and/or certain obstetric complications with the presence of antiphospholipid antibodies. Antiphospholipid antibodies are detected by testing for lupus anticoagulant, anticardiolipin antibodies and antibeta glycoprotein 2 antibodies. Patients can be single, double or triple positive. Thrombosis in APS can affect any vessel, so the clinical presentations of APS are wide, from stroke to skin necrosis to deep vein thrombosis. Obstetric complications include recurrent first trimester loss and complications of placental dysfunction such as intrauterine growth restriction, pre-eclampsia to intrauterine foetal death. Management of thrombosis is reliant on anticoagulation with warfarin, direct oral anticoagulants should not be used in those with previous arterial thrombosis or triple positivity. Management of obstetric complications is currently dependent on antithrombotic treatment, which is variable depending on the mother’s pre-existing history. We present a series of question to allow exploration of the diagnosis and management of APS.