Antiphospholipid Syndrome Presenting Variceal Bleeding in Patient with Systemic Anaerobic Bacterial Infection

Abstract

Antiphospholipid antibody syndrome (APS) is characterized by raised levels of antiphospholipid antibodies (aPL), in association with thrombosis, recurrent fetal loss, and thrombocytopenia. Development of APS is related with idiopathic origin, autoimmune disease, malignancy and, on rare occasions, infection. However, in secondary APS combined with bacterial infections, aPL is usually shown with low titer and rarely associated with thrombotic events. A 52-year-old male was admitted due to pneumonia and multiple hepatosplenic abscesses. He had been treated with proper antibiotics, but he presented ascites and sudden variceal bleeding because of portal vein thrombosis. The bleeding was controlled by endoscopic variceal ligation. Acute portal vein thrombosis was successfully managed by low molecular weight heparin and hepatosplenic abscesses were completely resolved by antibiotics. This case suggests that systemic bacterial infection in immunocompetent patients possibly develops into secondary APS.