Catastrophic antiphospholipid syndrome associated with systemic lupus erythematosus: a case-based review

Antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) can occur as a primary disease or secondary to an underlying disease, such as systemic lupus erythematosus, or other systemic autoimmune diseases. Catastrophic APS refers to a rapid progression of the disease with the development of thrombotic events that affect three or more organs. This is the case of a 22-year-old woman without history of pregnancy. She developed a catastrophic APS associated with systemic lupus erythematosus, with kidney damage (focal lupus nephritis III), pulmonary embolism, and Libman-Sacks mitral valve endocarditis. Accurate diagnosis and optimal medical treatment (anticoagulants, corticosteroids, antimalarials, diuretics) improved her disease, and the patient was discharged in good clinical condition and continues her multidisciplinary follow-up in the outpatient clinic of our institution.