Antiphospholipid Syndrome—An Update on Diagnosis and Treatment

Abstract

Antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) was described by Hughes et al in 1986 and then by Harris et al in 1987. The symptoms of disease are related to the presence of autoantibodies directed against plasma and serum proteins that form complexes with phospholipids of cell membranes. The immunologic process involving vascular endothelium, thrombocytes and coagulation factors is responsible for enhancement of procoagulation mechanisms and as a result—venous and arterial thrombosis. Actual criteria of recognition of APS were published in 2006 as a result of 11th International Congress on Antiphospholipid Antibodies which was taking place in 2004 in Sydney. Multiorgan symptoms of disease, criteria of recognition and methods of treatment were discussed in the present paper.