Cutaneous Vasculitis in a Patient with Antiphospholipid Antibody Syndrome

Antiphospholipid antibody syndrome (APS) is an acquired thrombophilia, caused by autoantibodies to anticardiolipin (aCL), or antibeta 2 glycoprotein I, or the presence of lupus anticoagulant (LA) in plasma. It is characterized by recurrent venous and/or arterial thrombi and/or pregnancy related morbidities. We present the case of a 52-year-old female with long-standing APS, who developed cutaneous vasculitis following a common cold. Most of the cutaneous manifestations of APS have been found to be thrombotic on histopathology without evidence of perivascular inflammation. Vasculitis is usually seen in APS patients with coexistent Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE). However, our patient had evidence of vasculitis on skin biopsy and did not have SLE. Though rare, this is a disease process which must be considered in patients with primary APS which must be closely monitored for other vasculitic complications of APS, particularly diffuse alveolar hemorrhage.