Antiphospholipid Antibodies and Infection: .

The clinical significance of antiphospholipid antibodies (aPL) in the context of infections has attracted attention since their first discovery in patients with syphilis. In fact, the recognition of aPL in patients with infections has been described in parallel to the understating of the syndrome. Since the first description of aPL-positive tests in three patients with COVID-19 diagnosed in January 2020 in Wuhan, China, a large number of studies took part in the ongoing debate on SARS-2-Cov 2 induced coagulopathy, and many following reports speculated a potential role for aPL.

Identifying phenotypes of patients with antiphospholipid antibodies: results from a cluster analysis in a large cohort of patients.

Objectives: To identify the aggregation of patients with aPL into different subgroups sharing common features in terms of clinical and laboratory phenotypes.

Methods: We applied a hierarchical cluster analysis from the multiple correspondence analysis to determine subgroups of patients according to clinical and laboratory characteristics in a cohort of subjects with confirmed aPL positivity who presented to our outpatient clinics from 2006 to 2018.

Results: A total of 486 patients [403 women; age 41.

Effect of Additional Treatments Combined with Conventional Therapies in Pregnant Patients with High-Risk Antiphospholipid Syndrome: A Multicentre Study.

The effect of additional treatments combined with conventional therapy on pregnancy outcomes was examined in high-risk primary antiphospholipid syndrome (PAPS) patients to identify the most effective treatment strategy. The study's inclusion criteria were (1) positivity to lupus anticoagulant alone or associated with anticardiolipin and/or anti-β2 glycoprotein I antibodies; (2) a history of severe maternal-foetal complications (Group I) or a history of one or more pregnancies refractory to conventional therapy leading to unexplained foetal deaths not associated with severe maternal-foetal complications (Group II). Two different additional treatments were considered: oral-low-dose steroids (10-20 mg prednisone daily) and/or 200 to 400 mg daily doses of hydroxychloroquine and parenteral-intravenous immunoglobulins at 2 g/kg per month and/or plasma exchange.

Inherited thrombophilia in women with poor aPL-related obstetric history: prevalence and outcomes. Survey of 208 cases from the European Registry on Obstetric Antiphospholipid Syndrome cohort.

Aim: To analyse the prevalence and effects of inherited thrombophilic disorders (ITD) on maternal-foetal outcomes in cases of antiphospholipid antibody related to obstetric complications.

Methods: Women with obstetric complaints who tested positive for aPL and with inherited thrombophilia were prospectively and retrospectively included.

Results: ITD data were available in 208 of 338: 147 had obstetric antiphospholipid syndrome (OAPS) and 61 aPL-related obstetric morbidity (OMAPS).

Bridging therapy in antiphospholipid syndrome and antiphospholipid antibodies carriers: case series and review of the literature.

Peri-operative management of patients on warfarin involves assessing and balancing individual risks for thromboembolism and bleeding. The timing of warfarin withdrawal and a tailored pre/postoperative management (including the substitution of heparin in place of warfarin, the so-called bridging therapy) is critical in patients with prothrombotic conditions. The antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) is the most common cause of acquired thrombophilia.

Predictors of cardiovascular events in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE): a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Cardiovascular disease represents an important cause of morbidity and mortality in patients with a diagnosis of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), due to a complex interplay between traditional risk factors and disregulation of autoimmunity but uncertainty is still present about the most important predictors of cardiovascular events.

Objectives: The aim of our work was to perform a collaborative systematic review on the main predictors of cardiovascular events in SLE patients.

Methods: PubMed and Cochrane were systematically searched for eligible studies on SLE and cardiovascular events between January 2008 and December 2012.

Treatment strategies and pregnancy outcomes in antiphospholipid syndrome patients with thrombosis and triple antiphospholipid positivity. A European multicentre retrospective study.

Previous thrombosis, diagnosis of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and triple antiphospholipid (aPL) antibody positivity have recently been found to be independent factors associated to pregnancy failure during conventional therapy in women with antiphospholipid syndrome (APS). This study aimed to assess the effect of various treatment strategies on pregnancy outcomes in women with APS and the risk factors for pregnancy failure. One hundred ninety-six pregnancies of 156 patients diagnosed with APS were analysed: 118 (60.

8-isoprostane, prostaglandin E2, C-reactive protein and serum amyloid A as markers of inflammation and oxidative stress in antiphospholipid syndrome: a pilot study.

Objective: To test the inflammation and oxidative stress hypothesis in antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) patients and to identify possible associations with clinical and laboratory features of the disease.

Methods: Serum amyloid A (SAA), C-reactive protein (CRP), 8-isoprostane and prostaglandin E2 (PGE) were assayed in the sera of 45 APS patients and then compared to control groups made up of 15 antiphospholipid antibody (aPL) negative patients with systemic lupus erythematosus, 15 aPL negative subjects with pregnancy-related morbidity, 15 aPL negative patients with thrombosis, 15 subjects with persistently positive aPL with no signs or symptoms of APS, and 15 healthy volunteers from among the hospital staff.

Results: APS patients showed significantly higher CRP (p = 0.

Resolutive pulmonary endarterectomy in a non-compliant patient with systemic lupus erythematosus and antiphospholipid syndrome.

Patients with chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH) have poor prognosis, and pulmonary endarterectomy (PEA) is considered the treatment of choice for this condition. We report a case and review the literature of successful PEA for CTEPH due to antiphospholipid syndrome associated with systemic lupus erythematosus. The definitive and decisive approach needed to treat this high-risk patient with a history of comorbidity, long-term illness and poor compliance was found with a therapy of PEA.

Risk factors for pregnancy failure in patients with anti-phospholipid syndrome treated with conventional therapies: a multicentre, case-control study.

Objective: To identify the risk factors associated with pregnancy failure in patients with APS treated with conventional therapy.

Methods: A multicentre, case-control study was conducted to compare APS patients with successful and unsuccessful pregnancy outcomes. We retrospectively considered 410 pregnancies of women diagnosed with primary APS.

Risk factors for a first thrombotic event in antiphospholipid antibody carriers: a prospective multicentre follow-up study.

Objectives: To assess risk factors for a first thrombotic event in confirmed antiphospholipid (aPL) antibody carriers and to evaluate the efficacy of prophylactic treatments.

Methods: Inclusion criteria were age 18-65 years, no history of thrombosis and two consecutive positive aPL results. Demographic, laboratory and clinical parameters were collected at enrolment, once a year during the follow-up and at the time of the thrombotic event, whenever that occurred.

Primary lymphoma of the heart. A case report and review of the literature.

Primary cardiac lymphoma (PCL) is a rare and usually fatal neoplasm, which may cause syncope, arrhythmia, heart failure and pericardial effusion as presenting clinical complaints. A case of PCL in a 72-year-old man with moderate aortic stenosis is presented. The patient was investigated because of pericardial effusion and diagnosis of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma was obtained by open-chest biopsy of the heart.