J Korean Soc Vasc Surg.  2000 Nov;16(2):234-239.

Antiphospholipid Syndrome with Deep Vein Thrombosis

• Park JK
• Kim GS

Abstract

PURPOSE: Antiphospholipid syndrome is a disorder of recurrent vascular thrombosis, recurrent abortion, thrombocytopenia, neurologic disorders associated with the elevation of antiphospholipid antibodies. The aim of our study was to characterize the patient profile and frequency of antiphospholipid syndrome in patients with deep vein thrombosis of the lower legs. METHOD: From January 1998 to December 1999, 25 patients with the lower leg swelling were classified according to their risk factors. Deep vein thrombosis was confirmed by radiologic diagnosis such as duplex ultrasonography or venography. The items for the identification of hypercoagulability were antithrombin III, protein-C, protein-S, lupus anticoagulant, anticardiolipin antibody (IgG). For the differential diagnosis of systemic lupus erythematosus, we tested antinuclear antibody and anti-dsDNA for the patients with positive results of antiphospholipid antibodies. Antiphospholipid syndrome was diagnosed according to its criteria. RESULT: Of the 25 patients with the lower leg swelling, 17 patents (68%) were revealed to have deep vein thrombosis. In that 17 patients, 8 patients showed hypercoagulabilities including 4 patients (24%) with positive test for lupus anticoagulant, 1 patient (6%) with combined multiple abnormalities of protein C and protein S deficiencies and lupus anticoagulant positivity, 2 patients (12%) with antithrombin III deficiencies, 1 patient (6%) with protein C deficiency, and there was no patient with IgG type anticardiolipin antibody positivity. According to the American Rheumatism Association criteria (ARA), there was no patient with systemic lupus erythematosus, but we could find out 1 patient (6%) who met the dagnostic criteria of antiphospholipid syndrome. CONCLLUSION: In our study, 6% (1of 17) of patient with the lower leg deep vein thrombosis revealed antiphospholipid syndrome. We described the clinical profile and diagnostic process of antiphospholipid syndrome in this study.

Keyword

Antiphospholipid syndrome; Deep vein thrombosis

MeSH Terms

Abnormalities, Multiple
Abortion, Habitual
Antibodies, Anticardiolipin
Antibodies, Antinuclear
Antibodies, Antiphospholipid
Antiphospholipid Syndrome*
Antithrombin III
Antithrombin III Deficiency
Diagnosis
Diagnosis, Differential
Female
Humans
Immunoglobulin G
Leg
Lupus Coagulation Inhibitor
Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic
Nervous System Diseases
Phlebography
Pregnancy
Protein C
Protein C Deficiency
Protein S Deficiency
Rheumatic Diseases
Risk Factors
Thrombocytopenia
Thrombophilia
Thrombosis
Ultrasonography
Venous Thrombosis*
Antibodies, Anticardiolipin
Antibodies, Antinuclear
Antibodies, Antiphospholipid
Antithrombin III
Immunoglobulin G
Lupus Coagulation Inhibitor
Protein C