Antiphospholipid antibodies syndrome in 'Stroke in young'

Antiphospholipid antibodies syndrome has emerged as an important entity responsible for stroke in young. Seven cases of young stroke (< 40 years of age) with mean age of 30.1 years (age range 25-39 years, 2 males and 5 females), who tested positive for antiphospholipid antibodies are being reported. All subjects had completed strokes. Six had arterial ischaemic and one patient had venous stroke. One patient suffered from four episodes, three ischaemic and one intracerebral haemorrhage. Two patients suffered from foetal loss. Generalised tonic clonic seizures occurred in three patients. Deep vein thrombosis was observed in one case. Thrombocytopenia was not observed in any case. All the patients had elevated anticardiolipin antibodies (aCL) IgM or IgG, while Lupus anticoagulant (LA) was elevated in 4 cases. Six cases belonged to primary antiphospholipid antibodies syndrome and one to lupus like illness. Oral anticoagulants were administered to maintain a high intensity international normalized ratio (INR). No recurrences were observed during a follow up period of 6-18 months.