Radiologial changes associated with antiphospholipid syndrome

Abstract EN

Aim of work: To demonstrate the radiological changes associated with the vascular manifestations that occur in antiphospholipid syndrome patients.

Patients & Methods: This study was conducted on 17 patients who fulfilled the criteria for diagnosis of anti-phospholipid syndrome (APS).

They were eleven patients diagnosed as primary APS and six patients as secondary APS (five systemic lupus erythematosus patients and one polyarteritis nodosa).

All patients were subjected to detailed medical history taking, neurological and thrombotic data.

Those patients with predisposing thrombotic factors like diabetes mellitus, atherosclerosis etc..

were excluded from the study.

Laboratory investigation in included medium or high titer level of anticardiolipin antibodies (aCL) and/or positive lupus anticoagulant (LAC) test.

Imaging studies included angiographic assessment (carotid, flush aortic and mesenteric), venogram for venous system and CT in selected cases.

Results: Of the 17 patients who were included in this study, 28 thromboembolic vascular events were recorded in the form of recurrent pulmonary embolism (17.6%), non-occlusive superior mesenteric artery narrowing (11.8%), external iliac artery embolism (5.9%), renal artery thrombosis(5.9),renal artery fibromuscular dysplasia (5.9%),cerebral artery embolism (23.5), coronary artery embolism(11.8), superficial femoral artery embolism(5.9), popliteal artery embolism(5.9), recurrent superficial femoral and popliteal DVT(64.7).

Conclusion: Antiphospholipid syndrome is a complicated disease that affects any age.

It is characterized by recurrent abortions and thromboembolic manifestations within both the venous and arterial systems.

Organ damage and functional impairment may be the end-result.

Early diagnosis, a patient presenting with a first thrombotic event should be screened for anticardiolipin antibodies and/or lupus anticoagulants and adequate anticoagulation therapy for the thromboembolic manifestation may be life saving.