Antiphospholipid Antibody Syndrome

Antiphospholipid antibody syndrome is developed by complications of pregnancy such as premature birth or premature miscarriages, excessive clotting of blood and lupus or cardiolipin anticoagulant antibodies in the blood cells.

Abnormal signs and symptoms are including in patients with antiphospholipid antibody syndrome. It is normally found in at least 2% of the population. Certain drugs such as antibiotics, hydralazine, cocaine and procainamide or quinine may cause antiphospholipid antibodies to grow in the blood.

This disease can be found in patients with number of illnesses such as premature miscarriages, veins, abnormal clotting of arteries, migraine headaches, inflammation of nervous tissue of spinal cord and thrombocytopenia. It is also found in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus. Patients with antiphospholipid antibodies syndrome also has problems of slowly progressive memory. This disease is affected the older aged women.

Causes:

Exactly causes of this disorder are not finding by the researchers. Sometimes drugs and infections also may produce abnormal blood-clotting proteins. Annexin V is a protein that disrupts the anticoagulant activity.

The levels of annexin V are reduced by antiphospholipid antibodies. Tendency of blood is increased to clot and propensity to pregnancy loss due to decrease the levels of annexin V. the levels of prostacyclin is decreased by anticardiolipin.

Diagnosis:

Patients with Antiphospholipid Antibody Syndrome may have several of antibodies to phospholipids in their blood. These antibodies include cardiolipin antibody, lupus anticoagulant, VDRL/RPR and prolonged PTT.

Treatment:

Treatment depends on the causes of this disorder.

Individual patient need unique treatment for Antiphospholipid Antibody Syndrome. Medications such as coumadin and heparin are effective for treatment of this disorder. Use aspirin as low doses to thin the blood.

Prednisone related to cortisone can be used to treat of this problem. Use intravenous gamma globulin to treat the selected patients. Heparin is very helpful to reduce this disorder during pregnancy.

Complications:

Complications of antiphospholipid antibody syndrome include:-

• Stroke
• Heart attack
• Thrombophlebitis
• Gangrene