Antiphospholipid Syndrome

Question 1

Is antiphospholipid syndrome congenital or acquired?

Answer 1

acquired

Question 2

3 characteristic features of Antiphospholipid syndrome

Answer 2

• venous and arterial clots
• recurrent fetal loss
• thrombocytopenia

Question 3

Antiphospholipid syndrome may occur as a primary disorder or secondary to other conditions. What does it most commonly occur secondary to?

Answer 3

systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE)

Question 4

Why does antiphospholipid syndrome cause a paradoxical rise in the APTT?

Answer 4

ex-vivo reaction of the lupus anticoagulant autoantibodies with phospholipids involved in the coagulation cascade.

Question 5

What skin condition is associated with antiphospholipid syndrome

Answer 5

livedo reticularis

Question 6

Antibodies found in antiphospholipid syndrome

Answer 6

anticardiolipin antibodies
anti-beta2 glycoprotein I (anti-beta2GPI) antibodies
lupus anticoagulant

Question 7

Management of antiphospholipid syndrome

Answer 7

Primary thromboprophylaxis = low-dose aspirin
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Secondary thromboprophylaxis
- lifelong warfarin with a target INR of 2-3
- if recurrent VTEs then increase target INR to 3-4
- arterial thrombosis should be treated with lifelong warfarin with target INR 2-3