Increased Risk for Heart Valve Disease Associated With Antiphospholipid Antibodies in Patients With Systemic Lupus Erythematosus

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is associated with an increased risk of venous thromboses and cerebrovascular diseases. Herein, we discuss the case of a young 38-year-old Asian lady who was presented with cerebral venous sinus thrombosis (CVST) shortly after she was diagnosed with SLE. She developed headache, right hemiparesis and sustained an episode of seizure on the first presentation. CVST was diagnosed with plain computed tomography (CT) of the brain and CT venogram. With prompt administration of anticoagulation and immunosuppressant treatment for SLE, she had an excellent neurological recovery. There are many different risk factors for developing CVST in SLE patients. It has been reported in literature that CVST is usually associated with antiphospholipid antibodies but only around 40% of them would have positive antiphospholipid antibodies indicating that there are also other mechanisms contributing to the process [1]. As CVST in SLE is a rare condition, no standardized treatment strategy has been delineated. The main cornerstone of treatment would be anticoagulation and appropriate treatment for SLE as these patients are commonly associated with underlying active SLE. With timely management, the prognosis for CVST in SLE patients is generally favourable.

Download Full-text

The role of clinically significant antiphospholipid antibodies in systemic lupus erythematosus

Reumatismo ◽

10.4081/reumatismo.2016.891 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 68 (3) ◽

pp. 137 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

M. Taraborelli ◽

M.G. Lazzaroni ◽

N. Martinazzi ◽

M. Fredi ◽

I. Cavazzana ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Systemic Lupus Erythematosus ◽

Multivariate Analysis ◽

Lupus Erythematosus ◽

Antiphospholipid Antibodies ◽

Valvular Disease ◽

Systemic Lupus ◽

Increased Risk ◽

Clinically Significant ◽

Cutaneous Lupus

The objective is to investigate the role of clinically significant antiphospholipid antibodies (aPL) in a cohort of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients. All SLE patients followed for at least 5 years and with available aPL profile at the beginning of the follow-up in our center were studied. Clinically significant aPL were defined as: positive lupus anticoagulant test, anti-cardiolipin and/or anti- β2Glycoprotein I IgG/IgM >99<sup>th</sup> percentile on two or more occasions at least 12 weeks apart. Patients with and without clinically significant aPL were compared by univariate (Chi square or Fisher’s exact test for categorical variables and Student’s <em>t</em> or Mann-Whitney test for continuous variables) and multivariate analysis (logistic regression analysis). P values <0.05 were considered significant. Among 317 SLE patients studied, 117 (37%) had a clinically significant aPL profile at baseline. Such patients showed at univariate analysis an increased prevalence of deep venous thrombosis, pulmonary embolism, cardiac valvular disease, cognitive dysfunction and antiphospholipid syndrome (APS), but a reduced prevalence of acute cutaneous lupus and anti-extractable nuclear antigens (ENA) when compared with patients without clinically significant aPL. Multivariate analysis confirmed the association between clinically significant aPL and reduced risk of acute cutaneous lupus [p=0.003, odds ratio (OR) 0.43] and ENA positivity (p<0.001, OR 0.37), with increased risk of cardiac valvular disease (p=0.024, OR 3.1) and APS (p<0.0001, OR 51.12). Triple positivity was the most frequent profile and was significantly associated to APS (p<0.0001, OR 28.43). Our study showed that one third of SLE patients had clinically significant aPL, and that this is associated with an increased risk, especially for triple positive, of APS, and to a different clinical and serological pattern of disease even in the absence of APS.

Download Full-text