[Antiphospholipid syndrome and multiple sclerosis: differential-diagnostic aspects]

A comparative study of 5 patients with definite multiple sclerosis who have abnormally high titer of anticardiolipin IgG-antibodies [MS aCL(+)] and 9 patients with antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) aged 22-43 was carried out. The results of this study are reported. The investigation has shown that some clinical and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) sings in patients with APS imitate the course of MS. This situation makes differentiation of two conditions quite difficult. The peculiarities of course of MS aCL(+) such as progressive myelitic pattern, nontypical for MS articular, cutaneous (livedo, ecchymoses) and vasospastic lesions have been shown. The differential diagnostic clinical, immunological and MRI-criteria of two diseases have been found out. The investigation reveals that APS has not only cerebrovascular manifestation but polyneuropathy (in preference of demyelinating type) and autoimmune myopathy.