[Retroperitoneal fibrosis with antiphospholipid syndrome: a coincidence or common autoimmunological etiology?]

The term "retroperitoneal fibrosis" means pathophysiologically differentiated entities which are leading to development of pathological masses of connective tissue in retroperitoneal space. The etiology of the disease has not been clearly established up to now. Recently advanced hypothesis suggests that existence of the pathological masses of connective tissue in retroperitoneal space is a consequence of autoimmunological response to insoluble, oxidized lipoprotein of atheromatous plaque called ceroid, penetrating into periaortal space through atheromatic wall of aorta. On the basis of recently observed case of 43-years old woman with retroperitoneal fibrosis and antiphospholipid syndrome the possibility of common autoimmunological etiology of both entities is discussed.