The IgM isotype of anti-annexin A5 antibodies and multiple positivity of conventional antiphospholipid antibodies: increasing the number of clinical manifestations of primary antiphospholipid syndrome.

We evaluated the importance of anti-annexin A5 antibodies (aanxA5 Abs) for clinical (thrombosis and/or recurrent pregnancy loss) and serologic (presence of antiphospholipid antibodies: lupus anticoagulant (LA), anticardiolipin (aCL), and anti-β2 glycoprotein I (aβ2GPI) antibodies) features of patients with primary antiphospholipid syndrome (PAPS). Our study included 70 patients with PAPS according to the international consensus criteria for APS. The mean age of the analyzed patients was 45.

[Cardiac Manifestations in Antiphospholipid Syndrome--A Brief Review of the Literature].

Antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) or Hughes syndrome represents a systemic autoimmune disorder characterized by arterial and/or venous thrombosis, multiple and recurrent fetal losses, accompanied by persistently elevated levels of antiphospholipid antibodies (aPL). This syndrome is considered primary if unassociated with any other connective tissue disease, or secondary if it appears in association with other autoimmune disorders, mainly systemic lupus erythematosus. Cardiac manifestations in APS are integral part of the syndrome.

Cardiac autonomic dysfunction in patients with systemic lupus, rheumatoid arthritis and sudden death risk.

Introduction: The manifestations of autonomic nervous system (ANS) dysfunction in autoimmune diseases have been the subject of many studies. However, the published results pertaining to such research are controversial. Sudden cardiac death due to fatal arrhythmias is frequent in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

Amputation of digits or limbs in patients with antiphospholipid syndrome.

Objective: To describe the characteristics of patients with peripheral vascular disease leading to amputation of digits or limbs encountered in patients with the antiphospholipid syndrome (APS).

Methods: Twenty-one cases derived from several geographical centers (Brazil, Serbia, Italy, Israel, United Kingdom, and South Africa) are presented. The major clinical, serological, and histopathological data (where available) of this cohort are described, documented, and analyzed.