Primary antiphospholipid syndrome associated with diffuse alveolar hemorrhage and pulmonary thromboembolism

Abstract

Antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) is clinically characterized by arterial or venous thrombosis; however, non-thromboembolic lung manifestations, such as diffuse alveolar hemorrhage (DAH), have also been previously reported. DAH is relatively common in APS patients with systemic lupus erythematosus, although it is rare in primary APS. We encountered a 78-year-old man who presented with hemoptysis and dyspnea. Chest CT showed diffuse ground-glass opacity with pulmonary thromboembolism. He was successfully treated with corticosteroids and heparin; however, DAH recurred after the corticosteroid treatment was stopped. The treatment was intricate due to the concurrent bleeding and thrombotic manifestations.