Antiphospholipid syndrome: A systemic and multidisciplinary disease

Abstract

Antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) was first described by Hughes and colleagues in 1983. Since the first few initial descriptions of the syndrome, almost every organ in the body has been reported to be involved in APS. The 'Sapporo' criteria which has been used as the diagnostic criteria since 1999 was recently revised in Sydney before the 11th International Congress on antiphospholipid antibodies in 2006. Over the last 24 years it has evolved into a systemic and multidisciplinary disease. This article looks into the extensive multidisciplinary involvement and presentation of APS including neurology, nephrology, cardiology, respiratory medicine, obstetrics and gynecology, endocrinology, hematology, ophthalmology, dermatology, otorhinolaryngology, gastroenterology, and orthopaedics. © 2008 Asia Pacific League of Associations for Rheumatology and Blackwell Publishing Asia Pty Ltd.