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Antiphosphilipid Syndrome - source
http://www.apsfa.org/aps.htm
What is Antiphospholipid Antibody Syndrome?
Antiphospholipid Antibody Syndrome or APS is an autoimmune disorder
in which the body recognizes certain normal components of blood
and/or cell
membranes as foreign substances and produces antibodies against
them. Patients with these antibodies may experience blood clots,
including heart attacks and strokes, and miscarriages. APS may occur
in people with systemic lupus erythematosus, other autoimmune
diseases, or in otherwise healthy individuals.
APS is also known as APLS, APLA, Hughes Syndrome or "Sticky Blood."
APS is an Autoimmune Disease
One way in which our immune system fights infections is by making
antibodies. Antibodies are proteins in the blood and body fluids
that bind
to foreign invaders like bacteria and viruses and help the immune
system destroy and remove them. Sometimes the immune system doesn't
function
properly and makes antibodies against normal organs and tissues in
the body.
These self-reactive antibodies are called auto antibodies. The
auto antibodies in APS were originally thought to recognize that
recognize
certain phospholipids, fatty molecules that make up part of normal
cell membranes, hence the name "antiphospholipid" antibodies. It is
now known that most of the auto antibodies in APS patients actually
recognize certain blood proteins that bind to phospholipids, not the
phospholipids themselves.
Two blood proteins that are major targets of antiphospholipid
antibodies are b2-glycoprotein I and prothrombin.
APS: The Statistics
1-5% of the general population is believed to have APS.
15-20% of all cases of blood clots in large veins (deep vein
thrombosis), including blood clots that go to the lungs (pulmonary
embolism) are due to
APS.
10-25% of women with recurrent miscarriages have APS.
One third of strokes occurring in younger people (under the age of
50) are due to APS.
APS is a major women's health issue: 75-90% of those affected by APS
are women.
40-50% of patients with lupus also have APS.
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Clinical Features of APS
People with antiphospholipid antibodies have an increased risk of
developing one or more of the following problems:
- Blood clots in veins, particularly
deep vein thrombosis (DVT)
- Blood clots that go to the lungs
(pulmonary embolism)
- Blood clots in arteries
- Miscarriages - these can occur at
any stage of pregnancy but are most common in the late
first trimester or early second trimester
- Pre-eclampsia, eclampsia, fetal
growth retardation, premature delivery Heart attacks,
angina
- Strokes
- Brief stroke-like episodes called
transient ischemic attacks (TIAs), for example, loss of
vision
- Decreased levels of platelets (small
blood cells involved in blood clotting)
- Heart valve problems, sometimes
requiring valve surgery or valve replacement
- Persistent or transient blotchy,
lacy bluish rash (called livedo reticularis)
- Skin ulcers, most commonly on the
legs or feet
- "Catastrophic" APS - a very rare,
life-threatening syndrome in which clots form in small
blood vessels of multiple organs (such as heart, lungs,
brain,
kidneys)
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