The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence and clinical significance of elevated antiphospholipid antibodies (APA) in a large series of patients admitted to a departament of Internal Medicine. At the end of entry phase, 1014 patients were tested (488 males-526 females, mean age: 66,7 years, range 18-97). Seventy-two (7.1 %) patients were found APA positive at least once: 44 males and 28 females, mean age 69 years, range 23 to 94. Twenty fulfilled the criteria of Primary Antiphospholipid Antibody Syndrome: 10 patients were referred for deep vein thrombosis, 3 had history of deep vein thrombosis, 1 had both arterial thrombosis and a history of venous thrombosis; 2 had thrombocytopenia; 3 had stroke, 1 had a history of s troke. One patient had SLE according to ARA classification. The most frequent associated disease was cancer: 14 patients, 9 had evolutive malignant disease, 5 were in clinical remission of neoplasia. Other clinical conditions included chronic and/or acute alcoholic intoxication (n=8), severe atherosclerosis (n=4), leg ulcer (n=4). Insufficient data are available about the evolution, but 7 patients died in the year following diagnosis. Eight patients had fluctuations in APA detection: 2 initially APA positive became negative, 5 initially negative became positive and 1 patient was alternatively positive, negative and positive without steroid treatment. Thus, as expected, APA occur in a variety of clinical disorders. The association with cancer or alcoholic intoxication deserves further investigations.

This content is only available via PDF.
Copyright / Drug Dosage / Disclaimer
Copyright: All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be translated into other languages, reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, microcopying, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.
Drug Dosage: The authors and the publisher have exerted every effort to ensure that drug selection and dosage set forth in this text are in accord with current recommendations and practice at the time of publication. However, in view of ongoing research, changes in government regulations, and the constant flow of information relating to drug therapy and drug reactions, the reader is urged to check the package insert for each drug for any changes in indications and dosage and for added warnings and precautions. This is particularly important when the recommended agent is a new and/or infrequently employed drug.
Disclaimer: The statements, opinions and data contained in this publication are solely those of the individual authors and contributors and not of the publishers and the editor(s). The appearance of advertisements or/and product references in the publication is not a warranty, endorsement, or approval of the products or services advertised or of their effectiveness, quality or safety. The publisher and the editor(s) disclaim responsibility for any injury to persons or property resulting from any ideas, methods, instructions or products referred to in the content or advertisements.
You do not currently have access to this content.