[Antiphospholipid antibodies and occlusive vascular disease]

The antiphospholipid syndrome is characterized by venous and/or arterial thrombosis, recurrent foetal loss, thrombocytopenia and the presence of antiphospholipid antibodies. This study presents three case reports, which emphasize the multiform clinical features of the syndrome: one case of uncomplicated myocardial infarction in childhood and two prolonged, clinically elusive case histories, both with fatal outcome due to acute, multifocal, non-inflammatory vascular occlusion. It is important to distinguish between this syndrome and various vasculitis syndromes, although consensus on therapy for the antiphospholipid syndrome has not yet been achieved.