Autoimmune hemolytic anaemia in the antiphospholipid syndrome

Antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) is a multisystem disease with recurrent thrombosis in the presence of antiphosphlipid antibodies, which may include cardiac, neurological, gastrointestinal, hematologic or cutaneous manifestations. The occurrence of autoimmune hemolytic anaemia (AIHA) in APS has not been well established. The purpose of this study was to review the occurrence of AIHA in patients with APS and its relation to other disease manifestations. Three-hundred and eight patients with APS from seven medical centers in Israel, Serbia and the Slovac Republic were included and evaluated for associations between AIHA and various manifestations of APS. AIHA was documented in 32 patients (10.4%). The odds ration for AIHA was increased in the presence of anticardiolipin antibodies and livedo reticularis (5.4 and 7.8, respectively). There was a highly significant association between AIHA and cardiac valvular vegetations and thickening (P < 0.0001), arterial thrombosis (P < 0.02), livedo reticularis (P < 0.0001) and CNS signs of epilepsy or chorea (P < 0.02 and P < 0.03, respectively). Thus, APS patients with AIHA are at risk of developing these manifestations, and should therefore be investigated for them. In addition, the occurrence of AIHA may define a subgroup of patients with a significant risk for subsequent development of SLE.