PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - J D Rees
AU  - S Lança
AU  - P V Marques
AU  - J A Gómez-Puerta
AU  - R Moco
AU  - C Oliveri
AU  - M A Khamashta
AU  - G R V Hughes
AU  - D P D’Cruz
TI  - Prevalence of the antiphospholipid syndrome in primary systemic vasculitis
AID  - 10.1136/ard.2004.034231
DP  - 2006 Jan 01
TA  - Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases
PG  - 109--111
VI  - 65
IP  - 1
4099  - http://ard.bmj.com/content/65/1/109.short
4100  - http://ard.bmj.com/content/65/1/109.full
SO  - Ann Rheum Dis2006 Jan 01; 65
AB  - Background: The antiphospholipid (APS or Hughes’) syndrome, anticardiolipin antibodies (aCL), and the lupus anticoagulant (LA) are associated with systemic lupus erythematosus, malignancy, infection, and drugs. It has been described in patients with primary systemic vasculitis (PSV).Objective: To determine the prevalence of APS in patients with PSV attending a vasculitis clinic and the prevalence of patients with positive aCL and/or the LA who do not fulfil the classification criteria for APS.Methods: All case notes of patients attending the vasculitis clinic over a 12 month period were reviewed. Outpatients and inpatients were both included and were assessed for features of the APS and presence of aPL. Patients with positive aCL or LA tests were classified according to the significance of these results.Results: Of 144 patients with PSV, 25 had positive aCL or LA on at least one occasion, representing a point prevalence of 17%. Of these, nine had definite APS (classified by the Sapporo criteria) and a further four patients had clinical and serological features of APS, although insufficient to satisfy the Sapporo criteria. Twelve had only positive aPL.Conclusion: The antiphospholipid syndrome, aCL, and the LA may occur in association with PSV.